Spy's Fight
by MoonPrincess623
Summary: Part 2 SPY TRILOGY. Naruto, Kitsune ANBU captain, fell in love w/ the enemy, now ally. A new Hokage is needed, a runaway ninja to deal w/, training, as well as saving those she cares for. FULL SUMMERY INSIDE--femNARU-GAARA COMPLETE !strong LANGUAGE!
1. Chapter 1

**MOON SAYS: **So, here is book 2 of the Spy Trilogy. I started late this afternoon editing these chapters. Before I head off to chapter 5, I decided to add this extra stuff to the chapters before I upload them. Need an break after all.

**IMPORANT PLEASE READ ALL READERS**: Even if you have read Spy 2 already, please read the bit I added to the end. IF YOU HAVE NEVER READ THIS FIC, I would take a look at chapter 6 before you start. This way you can prepare yourself for a few changes I made between Spy 1 and 2. You don't have to, it's just something to consider. You can read it before or after, it doesn't matter. There are no spoilers, unless you can't some overly general things.

**Pages: **23

**Words:** 9,375

**Edited: **16 May 2013

**Published: **7 June 2009 (has it really been this long?)

::::Notes::::

_Thinking_

**Jutsu**

_Naruto thinking_

**_Kyūbi thinking_**

_**Shukaku "talking" thinking**_

**Summonings**

**~~Spy's Fight~~**

**Chapter 1**

Was it wrong of me not to feel any emotion, whatsoever? The whole village knew that he was supposed to be like a grandfather to me. But I felt nothing of his death. I was, am, will be, a perfect Shinobi; a perfect tool.

Danzo would be proud of me if he knew who I was and how emotionless I am. The perfect killing machine is one that doesn't feel. I've seen those ROOT soldiers of his. Sometimes I wish I couldn't feel emotions; like I've always told myself, they are double edged swords that won't hesitate to cut you as deep as your enemy will.

Jiraiya told me that I have to say something at the funeral. It was something that his sensei wanted, for the old fool cared deeply about me. I snorted and he gave me a disbelieving look.

"He cared more for you than his own flesh and blood, Naru; how can you doubt he cared?" he questioned me.

I gave a heartless chuckle that made him flinch. "You, above all should know. Look at me, I'm the perfect tool, perfect ANBU. I'm a Jinchūriki that was made into a weapon. I wonder if Danzo realizes just how close he is to having that perfect tool he has wanted for twelve years? I had no childhood Jiraiya! All I had was training, missions, death, and more training! I am twelve years old, yet I am one of the most feared Hunters, ANBU, that have ever graced this fucking village."

I watched the closest thing I have ever had to a father flinch at my use of his name and the points that I made against his beloved teacher. The old man may protest at every opportunity about the nickname I gave him, but we both knew he loved it.

I sighed; I saw the pain on his face. He knew I was right, but just like the Third he thought it was better than what could have happened. Damn, these emotions that I continue to have well up inside of me. Guilt. I crossed the short distance between us and hugged him. It was more benefit to him than to me, I will tell you. But I couldn't help but feel comforted by the hug as well.

"I will speak at his funeral; it's the least I can do. No matter how much I bitch and moan, I know that he did the only thing he could have done. I would rather be strong than some weak loud mouthed idiot. At least this way I get to stay a girl and not think I'm gay in the future after I start liking boys. Or Kami forbid, I start liking girls."

He pulled back and gave me a look; I saw that wicked gleam in his eyes. Crap, I totally messed up. I haven't told him about that Jutsu.

"So you _did _do that Jutsu! I knew it Naru-chan!" I cringed at that nickname, but he didn't notice. "So…changed sexes have you? Have you realized now that male is the better sex? Also, I will have you know that sex is better when you are the male—"

He didn't finish that thought because I kicked him out of the window, and in true anime style, he went flying across the village. I yelled out the window, "PERVERT!"

~~Spy's Fight~~

The Elders and a few others that they were with heard Jiraiya's scream and the 'pervert' yell.

"Either Tsunade is back in the Village, which I highly doubt, or he was just discovered peeping at the bathhouses."

"That boy will never change," someone chuckled.

~~Spy's Fight~~

I couldn't decide if Kitsune was going to the funeral or not. I couldn't risk sending a **Katai Bunshin**; for certain people would know and start asking questions at the wrong time. So Kitsune ended up not going. At least that solved a problem for me. Before the perverted Sannin told me about the speech, I was having trouble deciding who to go as.

Alter egos are a pain in the ass. No doubt many others have said that, but I'm saying it too.

~~Spy's Fight~~

The day of the funeral…of the man who took me off the streets, trained, me and sent me to others that could make me strong enough to defend myself had arrived. I wondered many times if that was the right decision, but after _that_ Jutsu my head and my heart told me that yes, the path I was on was right. Even if, time after time, I wanted to blame the old man for what he did to me. He turned me into a monster. Sometimes, I think I'm worse than Kyūbi.

_**Now kit, I will have you know that you most definitely are not worse than me. Have you destroyed Villages?**_

_Yes._

_**Damn, have you leveled Villages with your tails?**_

_That's not fair! I don't have tails…_

_**That's a no then. Have you killed millions of people?**_

_No. I haven't got that far up on my killings…yet._

_**Have you killed a father and condemned a child to many horrors because you can't overpower the Sharingan?**_

I knew he was talking about me then. I could feel the guilt, sorrow, and pain coming from him. Every time I went emo on him, he felt negative emotions. All because I am a stupid brat who doesn't know when self pity should stop. Didn't I chew that brat out in Wave because he was acting just like this?

I shook off those worthless emotions that had clouded my mind and replied with a emotionless _no. _

_**Good! Don't want those 'worthless emotions' taking up space I need for my body. Now, kit, about this Seal…**_

I laughed at the giant fur ball._ I promised you after we started merging that once it's almost done the Seal will dissolve and you will be free. We will be one…_

_**And I will be free to roam by your side and not be confined inside of you. Maybe then I can make up for all the pain I have caused you, by protecting you**__**.**_

I didn't say anything to that. When Kyūbi started getting like that, I could do nothing. I knew it would be nice once he did have a body.

_**It's time kit, you have stayed away too long.**_

_I know…_

I left the memorial stone and started off for the funeral. I had no idea what I was going to do. What was I going to say?

I didn't have much time to think, because before I knew it, I was there.

"You took your sweet time,_ girl,_" a hateful voice whispered harshly in my right ear. I didn't turn to see the female elder. I ignored her and went up to the table that had various pictures on it and countless flowers.

I wasn't dressed like everyone else. I had tight black pants on; I never liked anything not tight. My shirt was tighter. Instead of plain clothes like everyone else, I had my family crest on the back; my mother's clan symbol, Uzumaki the spiral. But on the front I had the Sarutobi symbol.

Everyone had put red roses on the table, but me? No, I put a black one down. I heard gasps of shock and displeasure. I didn't care. I didn't care about anyone. Maybe Gaara was right…only caring about yourself, that's the only way to protect yourself.

I wasn't alone though, I felt Kyūbi giving me support. I turned around, my eyes closed.

"Hiruzen Sarutobi was the student of the First and Second Hokage and Sandaime Hokage; he was also the teacher of the great Sannin; and indirectly was also the teacher of the Fourth Hokage. His ninja name was the Professor because he knew over a thousand Jutsu. That is what all of you know about him; none of you really know him at all." I scoffed at them, my eyes opened hatred filling its deeps.

"None of you truly knew him. You don't know of the sacrifices he has made, none of his mistakes, you only know how good he was. But he was man, a human. He wasn't as docile as most of you think. No, he knew what he had to do for this Village and he did it, whether he wanted to or not. It was always the Village was first, never those in it." I laughed darkly.

"The bastard was all for his 'Will of Fire' crap, but that can only go so far. He made grave mistakes in protecting his precious Village, but he also made good ones. Sometimes I hated the man with everything I had," I heard Konohamaru start to cry. "But I knew that he had no other choice. I would have done the same in his shoes. Hokage is not a job for the weak; that is why the strongest are always chosen."

I started having difficulty breathing. "One of the hardest decisions he had to make was letting me go to an orphanage after I was born. I know it hurt him deeply because Sarutobi-sensei had a big heart, and it only took him five years to realize that he had a made a mistake. He took me in and protected me; he loved me, when I thought I was incapable of being loved."

A tear left my right eye, but my voice was strong. "And now he is dead… so is the life of a Shinobi," that lone tear became two.

"For those out there who are saddened, be sad, mourn for the great but tragic Hokage we had. Don't take too long, though," I heard noise that was supposed to be the crowds non-approval of what just sad. "Suck it up; you are Ninjas, warriors that deal death," here my voice because as hard as steel. "You will see death, again and again, and you will deal it out like butter to bread. Mourn the dead, respect the dead, and live for the dead by doing your duty as Shinobi. Soon we will have another Hokage and we will respect, live, and mourn for this one when the time comes. All Hokage's are destined to die; that is the one certainty that they all had when they choose to take the position. Thank those that are dead for your lives, thank those who fought for your lives; because if it wasn't for them, your picture would be on this table as well."

I moved to walk away, but something attached itself to me. I caught myself by wrapping my arms around it and putting my weight against it. It was Konohamaru.

"Why? Why Onee-chan?! Why do they die? Why couldn't grandfather listen to me and not have fought? WHY DID HE DIE?" he cried out at me, as his sobbing took over his throat and he couldn't talk anymore.

My hard iced-over eyes melted at him. I knelt down and hugged him to me. My head rested on the left side of his face.

"Oh little koi, he died for you."

"BUT I DIDN'T WANT HIM TO!"

I took my left hand and ran my fingers through his hair and held him, like I always did after he had a nightmare.

"He died for all of us. You wanted to be Hokage little one, so listen up. The first duty the Hokage has is to protect the Village. Your grandfather knew that he would die, but he did it because of love. He loved you, me, and everyone else in this Village."

"I don't want to be Hokage anymore, and I forbid you from doing it too! No more missions!" he screamed at me. "I can't lose you too."

My eyes softened even more. I separated him from me and looked him in the eyes. "Death is a part of life and there is no escaping it, no matter how hard you run. I accept that and it's about time you do as well. If I die, then I die. I will regret only one thing: causing you pain."

"Why do you have to die? I don't want you too! I won't let you leave; I will tie you up and won't let you out of your room!" Konohamaru threatened me.

I sighed. "Stop being a baby. You know as well as I do, that wouldn't work. I have tried to be nice, Maru, but enough is enough!" he flinched at my words and tone of voice I used. "I will die; you will die; that is life."

"But why? Why do you have to leave me too?" he asked quietly, his eyes staring at the ground.

"Because I care for you, which is why I go on missions. I don't want you to get hurt; you are a precious person to me. And to keep you safe, I will do anything; I will take on any mission, and I will fight anyone. If it means that I will fight someone stronger than me, then so be it. If it means that I die, then I will."

My right hand reached down, took his chin and raised it. "That is why people become Ninjas, that is why grandfather died. He died to protect those that are precious to him. That is why he fights…fought. That is why I fight; I do missions to stop those that would hurt those I care for. That is the way of a Ninja. That is my Nindo, my Ninja way, to fight for those I love and care for. I will do anything and everything for them."

Konohamaru's eyes lit up; it seemed that my words got to him. His tears stopped.

"Then (hic) that is my Nindo (hic) as well! I will fight for you!" I smiled, a real smile, and hugged him.

Then when I pulled back he did something that caught me and everyone else off guard. He kissed me. Damn little kid, if it was anyone else they would have died.

"And when I kick your ass, you will marry me!"

~~Spy's Fight~~

"So, tell me everything about her," I ordered seriously and we leaped from tree branch to tree branch.

"Don't let her hit you or kick you, or land a single hit on you at all. She's super strong," Jiraiya, Toad Sage, told me with a far off look in his eyes.

"She hit you how many times?" I asked, my voice clearly held a teasing note to it. "And how many were to the head?"

He snorted. "Too many to count, though she almost killed me once; the closest I have ever come to dying. She is a sucker though, she really sucks at gambling."

"And that is how I am going to get her." I informed him as I sent a kick to his head; he dodged and we launched ourselves into at Taijutsu battle as we advanced to the next town.

"Have you told anyone your coming with me? Like, maybe your teammates?" he asked as I punched him the stomach and he head butted me.

~~Spy's Fight~~

"Where is she?" Sakura demanded, her voice had gotten to the 'shrill' point already.

Ever since she had found out that Naruto saved her from Gaara (not Sasuke), Sasuke had become more distant to her; she blamed Naruto. It seemed that her fan girl genes had finally fully emerged and taken over. The pink haired girl had thrown everything that had happened between her and Naruto out the window and started to hate her…again. She had it in her head that Naruto was taking Sasuke away from her. The evidence was that the Sasuke ignored her even more than before, and she _knew_ that his thoughts were al on Naruto.

That made her go back up on Naruto's list of people to kill…somehow and someway.

"I don't know, but she's later than Kakashi-sensei!" Sasuke added as he glared at said sensei.

Kakashi, who had ignored two thirds of his Genin, looked up from his book to see someone in front of him. It was the missing teammate.

Before anyone could say anything, the Naruto opened her mouth.

"This is an automated message from: Naruto to Squad Seven."

Kakashi nodded and told her to go on.

"I was leaving the Hokage Building when I ran into someone. My perverted pimp to be exact," she told them with a wicked grin on her face.

They heard a male voice in the background. "I AM NOT A PIMP! You impitent little brat, I will have you know, that is has been said that I am the Toad Sennin. And that's not all. In the North, South, East and West...the Legendary Three's White Haired frog-summoning child! The handsome man that can silence a crying child! He is JIRAIYA-SAMA! That's me!"

"Ero-Sennin, that is who you are, you self proclaimed super pervert. I don't know why I put up with you," Naru off handily told him.

"Because you want to learn from me, that is your greatest dream! You want to be just like me!"

Naru snorted, "Yes, I want to get research by spying to women in the bathhouses! Oh, yes, that is my greatest dream."

"Don't take that tone with me, gaki."

"If you need me for something, go to the nearby towns look for gambling places…or into women's brothels. Apparently, I shall be helping him get information. You know, I'm drawing the line here. I will not be your bait; I refuse to act like a little child and have those women cooing all over me."

"But we have to gather information!" the Toad sage whined. "That is the most efficient way, plus you look so cute!"

"No, I did it when I was younger, but no longer! You get your own damn information your way, and I'll do it my way." then in a deadly tone, "If you call me cute more one time…"

"And how many bodies am I going to have to clean up?"

Silence ensured for a few seconds. "Memory Jutsu will be applied and I will drop them off at the nearest hospital, does that satisfy you?" then she added as an afterthought, "It's not like you would clean up anyway, I would have too."

A sigh later, "Anyway, old perverts aside, I'm going to be away for a few weeks. Well, that is until we find someone."

"Yes, a beauty with enormous—"

"Finish that perverted sentence and when we find her I will rat you out. I will tell baa-chan all about how you have made a sweet innocent child become a pervert! I will also tell her that your books are why my sensei doesn't pay attention to my training or those of my teammates."

"Fine, fine, seeing as I don't want to die, I will accept your blackmail. You know, there are only so many times that you can use that."

"Nope, that blackmail will last until you die…which is going to be a very, very long time. Well, that depends on how much you piss her off. I wonder…will she be drunk?"

The clone closed her mouth for a few seconds and then opened it to tell them end of message and burst into a puff of smoke.

Sakura had her mouth open, not knowing how to take this recorded message. Sasuke was still stuck on the fact that the pimp, whether it was just a name or not, was real. Kakashi, however, how taken in the whole message and smiled at his two Genin with his eye in a upside down crescent. Kakashi, Shinobi extraordinaire, informed his team of the most important part of the message:

"That, my precious Genin, is how to do blackmail properly."

~~Spy's Fight~~

"I meant what I said about bait, no doing it." I repeated to him again when we could see the next town in site.

"Fine, fine, fine!" he told me with a wave of his hand. "So, how are you going to get her to agree?"

I became silent for a moment. "I am either going to trick her with an imperfect Rasengan or some psychology thing."

The perverted Toad Sage shrugged, "Convincing her is your problem. I'm just going to stick around to watch the fireworks."

"Lazy ass," I rolled her eyes, but my voice held affection.

He chuckled as we walked down as street, but stopped when he realized that I wasn't beside him. He turned around and saw me at a booth, one that had to do with lottery. He wondered if I was the opposite of Tsunade yet again. One of his favorite past times was comparing me to her. He wasn't surprised when I came back with my Gama-chan almost overflowing.

A few more minutes down the street, we found our hotel. My perverted sensei/almost dad saw a very pretty lady, shoved some money in my hands, his bags, and ran off. I sighed, got us a room and headed upstairs.

~~Spy's Fight~~

There was a knock at the door, and I knew it wasn't Ero-Sennin. I checked the Charka Signature and didn't sense any. I quickly made a **Bunshin** and jumped out the window. I made my way quickly back up to the room and peered down the hallway, my **clone** had just opened the door, and…Itachi was standing in front of it.

"Naru-chan, I would appreciate it if you weren't using a **Bunshin**. How rude of you, I know I taught you better manners than that."

I chuckled and he didn't even flinch when I came around the corner.

"Tachi-kun, how have you been? How's life on the run?" After my mini-interrogation/manners, my attention shifted to the fish man to his left.

"Kisame, one of the seven swordsmen of the Mist, a pleasure to meet you," I said as I walked toward them. "Is there a reason why you are gracing me with your presence?"

"You did teach her manners Itachi, good job." Kisame said as he gave me a toothy grin.

My **clone** was gone as I leaned up against the wall next to the door. "Is there are a reason you wanted to see my beautiful self, Itachi?"

He chuckled, but Kisame got there first. "Maybe a quick fuck session before we kidnap you and turn you in?"

My laugh kept Kisame alive, I could see that Itachi was about to kill him. "No fuck sessions, sorry, fish man. I am quite underage, and if word got out you were such a pedophile...well, I don't want to be around you when your boss finds out."

"We want you to come with us, Naru-chan," Itachi told me calmly; I could see he was fighting with killing the urge to kill the blue man.

"Oh?" I said, leaning forward to where our faces were centimeters apart, "Really? And why is that?"

I was playing a very fun mind game with Itachi, I always did this. I knew he was hormonal, plus he was a guy. That and for years he had wanted me in his bed. It didn't help that I was more developed than girls my age; and I was wearing revealing clothing. It didn't help that I was leaning over and he saw a good view of my boobs too.

I remember Kyūbi's words before, about how only Itachi and Gaara were the ones for me.

Gaara.

I pushed him to the back of my mind…again. I hadn't seen him for weeks now, but I couldn't get him out of my head or heart.

Luckily, for me, I had a distraction.

Sasuke.

He saw how close I was to his brother's face and he was stunned; when I moved away, he lost it. Apparently, seeing his crush almost on top of his hated brother was just too much for him. Poor kid.

"Itachi Uchiha," his face had lost all color, his voice dead.

"Oh, another Sharingan, that's the second one I've seen today." Kisame commented thoughtfully as Sasuke looked up and showed his red eyes off.

"Another?" I said suspiciously.

Kisame nodded. "Yeah, but this one only had one."

I looked at Itachi and my eyes narrowed. "What did you do to him?"

Itachi shrugged. "We fought for no more than five or so minutes."

"Did you kill him?" my voice was steady, but empty.

Itachi took me in for the first time since he left. My hair was longer, my body older, but he saw something in me. "You've changed, Naru-chan, are you caring about people now?"

Kisame chose that moment to interfere again. "Who is this little boy Itachi? He looks like you…"

"He…is my little brother."

Kisame's eyes widened. "I thought you killed the whole clan."

That was the last straw for Sasuke, he looked straight at Itachi, his eyes and face took on a demented look. "I will kill you!"

He powered up a **Chidori** and ran toward Itachi.

My heart stopped, images flashed through my mind. I reacted without thought. Before anything happened, I grabbed Sasuke's hand and held it. The **Chidori** flickered out because he lost control over it. My other hand had grabbed Itachi's wrist.

"Now, now, Naru-chan, I know you love me," I snorted. "But you don't have to jump in front of me and a **Chidori**, remember last time you did it?"

Sasuke's eyes widened, while mine became distant.

"Yeah, it went through my chest and almost killed me." I said in a monotone.

"Ooooh, Itachi, I didn't know you had history with the target." Kisame mockingly teased.

I let go of both their wrists, and spun around to kick Itachi in the chest—straight into Kisame.

Itachi got his body under control. "It's been awhile since you kicked me, Naru-chan." The older Uchiha rubbed the spot on his chest. "It seemed that this once didn't have the same feel behind it. Where did all that love go?"

"Itachi, this isn't the time to talk about your failed attempt to _woo_ me," she chided him, "Weren't you sent here for a reason?"

Itachi's eyes changed and I knew I did something wrong, but at the moment I didn't care.

"Sasuke," my voice was loud enough for Itachi to hear the tone I used. The one I used to use for him when we would fight together.

"Yeah?" Sasuke's voice was shaking.

"You take on Fish Boy, I got the older Uchiha."

"What? No!" Sasuke growled. "He's mine."

I closed my eyes and took a few deep breathes. I was going to have to do a memory Jutsu on him before we left.

"Fine, take him, but be warned, I am not responsible if you die." I let him know before I launched myself at Kisame.

Our two groups separated and I pushed the blue man down the hall until I had him up against the wall.

"You're a tough girl, aren't you?" he said, grinning and showing off those shark like teeth. "I'm going to have fun breaking you."

"Funny," I told him before took out a mini sword out of nowhere. "I was going to say the same thing. Now, show me that sword that is famed for stealing Charka."

Before we could use our swords against each other, I heard Sasuke scream. I turned around and saw Itachi had him up against the wall, choking him, and staring into the his little brother's eyes.

_Tsukiyomi_, I thought just as I hear Itachi said it.

I started to run toward them—and got only maybe a few feet—when I felt Kisame's sword being raised against my back. In response (before I thought about how stupid it was to leave my back open), I felt a Toad's natural chakra between me and Kisame. I turned around and jumped back a few feet.

Then, to my horror, I heard my traveling companion run his mouth off.

"I, Jiraiya, this epitome of manliness! I will fall for no woman's wiles! When you're someone like me, you only have to flash that sexiness to have women fall at your feet."

"You are corrupting this innocent girl!" I almost screamed at him. "Wait till baa-chan hears this! You desert me for a woman planted by Akatsuki, and their members come after me!"

Itachi turned around and let Sasuke fall to the ground. "Do you know what happens when you try to corrupt this one?"

Jiraiya cringed, "I assume you know what happens?"

"I saw it happen, but I wasn't stupid enough to try," Itachi smirked. "Unless it was mutual of course."

"Itachi, what's going on?" Kisame asked as he slipped by me and Ero-Sennin to stand by his partner.

"We are leaving," Itachi informed him. "There is no way we can win against one of the Sannin."

He made a hole in the wall and waited until Kisame jumped out before he looked at me once more. His look was guarded and mine wasn't. I closed my eyes before he left and when I opened them, he was gone.

Just like before, I help him and he runs off. Last time I didn't interfere when he missed up Sasuke, and I didn't this time either.

"Does it make me a bad person?" I voiced my thoughts out loud. "I help him and do nothing when he messes with his younger brother mentally and physically. The first time, it didn't matter, but now…Sasuke's my teammate..."

The old pervert dismissed the Toad and put a hand on my shoulder. "We have duties, and as Shinobi we must put aside all our personal feelings to perform those duties. Itachi left Sasuke alive because he let his feelings get in the way of his duty. You…followed your heart. I will never tell you that's ever wrong."

~~Spy's Fight~~

My whole plan was shot to hell when I actually met her. I was either going to trick her with a technique that I could already do, or I was going to guilt her into it. But that didn't happen.

"Outside now," my voice was low and held no emotion as I ordered her to move her body. The two across the table from me were shocked. I had been quiet so far, only insulting and teasing the old man next me from time to time.

She had pissed me off. She had insulted the Hokage name; she insulted every Hokage before her. She insulted my father, and the first person to ever try and love me.

"What did you say gaki?"

I looked her directly in the eyes and I watched her flinch. She saw the emptiness in mine.

"If you do not want to pay for the damages to this place, then get your ass outside. Because I will not stand for you insulting the Hokage name just because you are weak and scared."

That got her outside; as we got out there, Ero-Sennin grabbed me and said quietly—although they were still able to hear. "Watch it gaki, there is only so much I can take. I'm still mad at you about the funeral speech."

I shrugged him off. "Mind you own damn business. I don't need a father; never had one, and I will be fine to continue on with life without one."

I saw all of them flinch, mostly him. I felt bad about hurting him, for that jab was a little deep.

I stood in front of Tsunade, all my plans gone and this was just me now. I was the only thing that could convince her to come back.

"Tell me gaki; is the reason why your little baby self was mad about me insulting the Hokage name was because you want to be Hokage?" her voice mocked me.

I didn't answer her; this was a question I had never been asked. Did I want to be Hokage? Konohamaru always assumed that I would, and often would fight me for it. But, did I want to be Hokage?"

"I never thought about being Hokage, to be honest. I can't help but despise the position and those that take it."

"Then why make a fuss about what I was saying?"

"As much as I detest it, I respect it more. To be Hokage is to be the strongest person in the Village. To be the strongest physically and mentally, for countless lives are in your hands; and no one weak can handle it. To have that honor, of being named the strongest…is something that I can't describe. I will be the first to admit being Hokage sucks, the choices that you have to make. I have watched Sarutobi for seven years, and each decision that he made—that affected the Village, you know, saved or destroyed it—hurt him greatly. The decision to abandon me as a child to a normal childhood that he knew I would never have, but hoped. Or the decision to take me off the streets because I was getting beaten almost to death between the ages of two and five?" I really saw her body freeze and flinch now, I was getting to her.

"Or the decision to make me a tool, something that he refused when I was first born? I hate Konoha for what it has done to me, what it has forced me to become, for what I've watched it do to itself and others. But I became a Kunoichi; I know my duty. I lied to Konohamaru at the funeral that was not my Nindo. My Nindo is doing my duty. Following orders, even I end up hating myself and my Village, even if I end up destroying myself."

I saw the realization in her eyes; she knew who I was now. "Yes, I am the Jinchūriki of the Kyūbi, and the daughter of the Yodamaine. I have every reason to despise and want to destroy Konoha; but I gave my word when I became a Kunoichi. A Kunoichi always puts duty first, personally feelings aside. You forgot that Tsunade, even if those you loved died because of that God forsaken Village."

Her companion didn't like my words and I saw her hugging that pig a little too tightly. Jiraiya was clinching his fights in repressed anger. He never understood my anger and hatred of the Village.

"What do you know?" she snapped at me. "You are young, you haven't buried those who mean everything to you, nor have you watched the love of your life die in your eyes."

My eyes grew then; the emotionless façade was thrown aside. "I helped someone I could have loved, if I let myself, murder his entire family for the sake of that Village. I helped him torture the only person who had ever really loved him, twice. I watched people I care for in agony when they have to complete missions, watching them destroy themselves in order to perform for the Village. I have hunted, murdered, annihilated, destroyed, you name it, and I have done it. All for that _place_."

Then I started crying. "I warned him; I warned the old man what was going to happen. I tried to warn him various times what Orochimaru was doing, but he never wanted to hear it. And he died because of it! Sarutobi was the first person who ever tried to love me. And do you know what I was doing while he was dying?"

I wiped away my tears, just for more to come. "I was going to off to protect the Village, and maybe in the process kill someone I just fell in love with. I was choosing between someone I loved and a teammate; the Village or my love. What happened after during the Third Task of the Chūnin Exam made me realize even more that I am a pawn, a tool, a weapon, to be disposed at my expense."

The pain inside of me just broke through all the barriers I had to keep it in place. My tears wouldn't stop, soon I was sobbing uncontrollably and I fell to my knees in internal agony.

~~Spy's Fight~~

Tsunade didn't know what do. Here in front of her was a child broken by her Village, her old home. And yet, this broken child was telling her to go back and protect that Village. How was she supposed to react? What was she supposed to do? Dan and Nawaki loved that Village; they never saw what this child had seen. They only saw the good side of Konoha, not the murky darkness that was deep inside.

Yet, what this broken child in front of was telling her was true. It amazed her how loyal this girl was to something that was destroying her.

Tsunade slowly walked forward and knelt down next to her. She wrapped her arms around and held her close, whispering to her that she was going to be alright.

~~Spy's Fight~~

Jiraiya moved over to Shizune, and they starting talking about Naruto. "She's really a mature kid, isn't she? A little rough around the edges…"

"She's in pain; she always has been hasn't she?" Shizune asked the teammate of her mistress.

Jiraiya, in that moment, looked older than he really was. "She always hides it; most of the time I forget about it because of the way she acts…but she is always in pain. This is the first time I have ever seen her let it all out. She cried at the Third's Funeral, but it wasn't like this."

"She's a child; it angers me to see all this pain that she's in."

"I know. I know."

~~Spy's Fight~~

After I finished crying and being weak, I pulled myself together and pushed out of her arms, gently.

"I'm sorry," I apologized to the woman who had just held me like I would imagine a mother would hold her child.

She shook her head. "Don't apologize; we all have pain inside of us. And when it breaks free…we can't stop it."

We both stood up and silence occupied the area until I broke it a few minutes later.

"I will make a bet with you, Tsunade-hime."

She was surprised, either by the bet or that I knew her medical nickname, I don't know, but she was surprised.

"And what bet would entail would exactly, brat?"

I smirked. "If I win, you become Hokage; if I lose I will leave the Village and travel with you and pay your debts."

Tsunade was shocked; Shizune inched closer to Jiraiya, "Does she know that Lady Tsunade sucks at gambling?"

"Does Tsunade know that this girl is the opposite of her when it comes to gambling?" Jiraiya whispered back.

"Fine, brat I accept. With what I heard before…I bet that you won't ever break away from Konoha, you won't ever do anything against it." Tsunade smirked now. She was going to win this bet for sure! "And I throw in this necklace," she said as she pointed the one she was wearing. The cursed one.

"Deal," I agreed as I shook her hand. "What's the time limit?"

"A week," she replied, shaking my hand.

~~Spy's Fight~~

I had them training me, all three of them, throughout that whole week. Shizune was totally fine with it, she liked me for some odd reason. Jiraiya did it because I kept on waving that blackmail in his face, something Tsunade got a kick out of, especially when he would go crazy just to keep me quiet. I got Tsunade to train me, after she lost a game of cards.

As she was training me, she was afraid to hurt me, so I started calling her baa-chan. I ended up with a few bruises after that.

When that week was over, I woke up, after exhausting myself the night before, to a woozy Jiraiya and a hit man. Someone was trying to kill either Shizune or him, and I wasn't having any of it.

Seconds later, I killed the hit man and the other woman in our group told me what happened while I was out.

"Stupid Ero-Sennin! You _know_ she is a Medic Ninja! How could you fall for the whole 'drugs in your sake' thing she did? I thought after the last time I did it, you would've been checking everything you drank." I scolded him as we hurried to where Shizune was trying to take us.

"You drugged him, Naru-chan?" Shizune asked, impressed. "When?"

"I think I was seven. After he started using me as bait, I gave him a drug that every time he saw a naked female or half naked female, he actually saw a man in the same undressed state."

My Ero-Sennin shuddered beside me, trying to repress the memories. "Are we there yet?"

We were…and there was a big hole in the ground. "I am going to take a guess and say she was pissed. Who wants to agree with my hypothesis?"

Two adults glared at me and I nodded, carrying on my one-sided conversation. "And continuing my assuming, I would say that someone scared her, there's blood over there, wait, is that dried blood?" I bent down and sniffed it. "It's a week old…so, Orochimaru tried to scare her into doing what he wanted before we showed up."

Looking at the other hole, this one in the wall and looking around until I found her jacket. I grabbed her, sniffed it, and threw it to Shizune. "She's really pissed and probably about to die. She's taking on a Sannin and Kabuto."

I closed my eyes and reawakened them as Kyūbi's eyes. With Kyūbi merging with me, my sense of smell, sight, and everything else was enhanced. With his eyes, they could track a person. I ran, with my two adults trailing behind me.

When we got to the scene of the fight, my eyes were back to their ice blue.

It seemed that Tsunade was about to fight with Kabuto, and the other Sannin was staring at us.

"Ah, it's been a long time hasn't it, Jiraiya?"

"Yes, it has been a while, and your eyes are still the same."

My eyes locked with Kabuto and he backed up a few steps.

I smirked. "It seems you remember what happened the last time you and I came face to face. Backing up is smart, now be even smarter and stay out of my way."

Orochimaru and everyone looked at me; I know I looked positively evil.

"Kabuto, you know Akki Aku, or should I say, ku ku ku, Naruto Uzumaki?"

I pouted, "It seems you figured me out. Dang Sasuke! He ruined my plan."

Orochimaru chuckled. "How is the little Uchiha? And for that matter, how are you? Did you like the present I gave you before you became unconscious?"

My hand instantly went to my neck. Thank God, I had packed a shirt with a high neck—he wouldn't have an easy time biting me again. For this battle, I wore bandages wrapped from my feet to my thighs. They even went above where my skirt stopped; it was like the Kurenai dresses. I had my boots on; my arms were wrapped in bandages as well, but I had black fish net gloves, and my black kunai pouch on my right leg. Not to mention various things hidden in scrolls hidden all over my body.

"You have the Curse Mark?" Tsunade asked her quietly. Thinking that maybe I did win our bet, having that is definitely rebellion and betraying the Village. Oh noes, that wasn't my rebellion.

I ripped off my shirt, I had a tank top like shirt underneath and showed my bare neck. I gave Orochimaru an Uchiha smirk. "It's gone, like it was never there."

I did have a shirt underneath. Well…half a shirt, my midriff was covered in bandages, I was expecting blood and cuts, so why not have the bandages there already? Okay, lie, during my training last night I got cut everywhere, so Shizune covered me in them.

I tied my blonde hair up in two pig tails, like I always did as a Genin.

"No, I will not tell you how I got rid of it; it's for me to know and you to die of curiosity."

Orochimaru, instead of getting mad, just chuckled. "You are surprising me more and more, little girl."

I yawned. "Can we just get this fight on? I think with your handicaps, both you and the pervert will be perfect matches. And me?" My eyes lit up as I look Kabuto in. "I get to kill rat: a big, silver, four-eyed rat."

The battle started, Shizune took care of Tsunade, and Orochimaru used Kabuto to **summon** a giant snake, but Tsunade threw Jiraiya aside and charged Kabuto—who was still on the ground, ten feet in front of me. Then the asshole cut himself and bleed all over her. A kick later and Shizune was holding on to her.

"So, you finally show your true colors, Kabuto?" I said pointed to my forehead. On his, he had a Sound forehead protector.

"Ah, speaking hitai-ate where is yours?"

This seemed to have everyone's attention. Where was my headband? Where was all my loyalty to my Village?

"Village loyalty has no place here, since none of us really have any," my lie was met with a chuckle from Orochimaru, on top of his snake.

I sighed. "If you must know, my Village loyalty is behind me. Tsunade, the future Fifth Hokage…and who is fixing to get over her fear of blood."

Then I looked over to my current sensei. "Ero-Sennin…why haven't you **summoned** something yet...you did just enter a battle with **summons** did you?" I spared a glance at him and Orochimaru. "You haven't even started, get your lazy ass going!"

"**Kuchiyose no Jutsu."**

The idiot **summoned**…a baby Toad, who two seconds later disappeared.

"You don't have to insult him," I told Orochimaru as I went over and hit the pervert over the head. "BAKA!"

"Awww, Naru-chan that had no love it in. How about you **summon** Gama for me?"

I stared at him for a few seconds before denying his request. "Go fight him," at that, I kicked him into Orochimaru and turned to my battle.

I launched myself into a Taijutsu battle with this medic, making sure that he couldn't touch me. I kept him on the defensive, so he had no time to form any attacks. I messed up though, Shizune tried to help by throwing more of her poison coated senbon. She almost hit me, and in a split second, I had to dodge.

That gave him the opening he needed, and knocked me away, slamming his foot in my chest, cracking two ribs.

I fly twenty feet away from him. I hear my name being called, but I can't breathe. One rib was pushing into one of my lungs. But I could see just fine, I saw Kabuto, the bastard, throwing himself at Tsunade.

The whole week flashed before my eyes, her being so nice, almost like a mother to me. The first night we met and how she held me. No, she still couldn't move.

I did a half baked version of dad's Jutsu, and I was in front of her in a second; a second before his metal plated gloved fist collided with Tsunade's head. Instead, it hit mine. Blood ran down from my head, down the curve of my nose.

"Why?" Tsunade's voice seemed so lost.

"Because you are my Hokage, and my duty is to protect you."

"I…didn't say I was going to…you didn't win the bet."

I chuckled. "I will, just you wait."

I kicked him backwards a little, so I could have room, and strained my right hand. Conjuring my favorite technique, half assed of course. I never realized how hard it is to gather Charka, pure Charka, in my hand when there is blood in my eyes.

I thrust my hand forward, toward his chest. "**RASENGAN**!"

I expected him to go flying with a whole in the middle of his chest. I didn't expect him to duck, use one hand to cut a few tendons in my right foot, and the other to crack a few more rib.

I collapsed. How could Kitsune, fall so low as to a Jōnin level Ninja taking her down? How could she get cracked ribs, how could she not breath, how could she not stand?

I laughed a bitter cold laugh. "I'm amazed. You are the first one in the past couple of years to injure me so much. Maybe it's because I'm playing around?" I asked myself the last sentence.

He would attack again I knew it; I struggle to stand up, damn my young body. I had lots of experience with my older body…damn it all! Right now, when she needs me most, I am on the ground.

I stand up, leaning against my left leg for support.

"Why? Why do you continue to fight? You are a Genin; I am way above your power. You are just going to die. And here you promised to kill me," Kabuto taunted me as he looked at me.

He was more than five feet in front of me. When did he get there?

Damn it! Would I never be able to fully operate in this younger body? I missed the simplicity of life as Kitsune. Ever since I started this damn charade as a Genin, too many things have happened that I didn't like. Too many times I have been hurt.

"You know…I hate blood, my own that is. A Genin?" I snorted. "Do you remember my 'Ninja Info Card' you stupid prick?" I coughed up some blood. Great.

I knew then that I had to hurry, there was only so much time that Kyūbi could give me. It was only because of him that could breathe.

"Damn, I hate acting…"

"NARUTO! Oh god, you coughing up blood…" Jiraiya couldn't help but be worried. Where the hell was he anyway? I couldn't see him…

I heard Orochimaru taunting him about me, and then Jiraiya and him started arguing over what makes a good Ninja. Idiots, the lot of them.

"Naru…please stop! I won't have you die for me. I couldn't…don't do this."

I remembered the Third's Funeral, Konohamaru's fit. Poor baby, I wondered what he would say when he found out I had died? Or my team for that matter? What would Kakashi do, I was the only thing he had left from his sensei. And then Gaara; Gaara, the one I had fallen in love with, what would he do when he found out I had died?

Probably going on a killing rampage, destroy Konoha, the works.

I chuckled. "Poor Konohamaru, I guess I'm going to die before you can kick my ass." I said to no one, and I think I may have noticed that a few people were looking at me all worried.

"Naruto-kun, please, stop this, I don't really want to kill you. Why don't you join us? If you do, I can make you stronger that you are now. And you will be of some use to Orochimaru-sama. If you don't, and you stand there, then you will die."

I glared at Kabuto, "Come on! I'm not dead yet, one of us will die now. Let's dance, you fuck toy."

He pulled out a kunai and charged me in anger. He knew what was insinuating. He knew that I thought he was just Orochimaru's play thing…and he probably was.

He charged me and I did the only thing I could do, I caught his hand. His kunai went through, not the first time though. I ignored all the pain. I was good at that, ignoring pain.

He struggled to move, idiot. I was strong without using charka to enhance my strength and here I was using that charka to enhance my strength even more. Kabuto stood no chance.

"You're not going anywhere jackass," I told him, I coughed as I readied my favorite Jutsu once again.

"Die," then my hand was shoved though his chest, through his heart—effectively ripping it to shreds and killing him instantly.

I used the last of the charka that I had; I had used most of it up trying to keep me alive. Now, all my charka was gone. I fell back and she caught me. At least my Hokage was alive, I had done my duty.

Damn, now Gaara was going to hate me. I had promised that we would break free and fix his Seal, but now…I broke that promise.

"No, no, no! You can't die on me." Tsunade almost screamed at me, as she laid me down and listened to my heart beat.

~~Spy's Fight~~

Tsunade couldn't hear Naruto's heart beat or hear the girl breathing. Tsunade carefully felt her chest and noticed that five ribs of her ribs were broken…and three were pushing into her lungs. Quickly, she healed the ribs and listened again.

Nothing.

"No!" Tsunade screamed. "Don't die on me, no, don't die on me! I refuse to lose anyone else"

~~Spy's Fight~~

Her hysteria was funny to me, so I laughed, or tried to. It didn't come out very well.

"Baa-chan, I'm going to win that bet now. I didn't kill the one who attacked the Village, Gaara. I feel in love with him. We are pawns, tools, and weapons; he's exactly like me. We promised…" I would have clutched my chest, if I could have moved my arm. Blood filled my mouth, but instead of coughing it up, it slid down my mouth.

"We promised…we would break…free, that we would…no longer…be…tools…"

~~Spy's Fight~~

Tsunade's hysteria increased as flashes of her lover and Dan entered her head. Another to die, another she couldn't save.

The female Sannin couldn't finish brooding because Orochimaru had left the Snake and shot himself at Naruto, that sword coming out of his mouth…aimed straight at the broken child that she didn't want to die.

Tsunade's eyes hardened and she did what she had to do, just like Naruto did. She moved and took the sword to the chest.

"Why Tsunade-hime, do you protect that child? You saw her fight; she is weak. If I don't kill her now, that Jinchūriki will be much trouble later on…"

Tsunade said nothing for a moment. "Why, why did I protect her? I am the Hokage, and the Hokage protects her people. She lives, breathes, and dies for them. That is the Hokage's duty. I will protect this child with my life!"

"Hokage? Dear Tsunade, I thought you were smarter than that. Being Hokage is only for fools, fools who want to die."

Tsunade remembered what she said in that tavern that night. _Hokage is a job only for fools, weak fools that have a death wish. _

_As much as I detest it, I respect it more. To be Hokage is to be the strongest person in the Village. To be the strongest physically and mentally, for countless lives are in your hands, no one weak can handle it. To have that honor, of being named the strongest…is something that I can't describe._

Tsunade's face raised and she looked straight into Orochimaru's eyes. "No, it is for those that are strong, being Hokage means that you are the strongest person in the Village. It's someone who will live for the Village, someone who _is_ the Village. Hokage is everything that you aren't," her voice was harder and deadlier than a kunai to the heart.

~~Spy's Fight~~

I open my eyes to her bleeding on top of me. Her words did something to my heart. No one had ever risked their life for me; my life had always been less of value to others. Now, someone had taken my place of protecting, risking my life for others. No one had ever deemed me worthy of risking their life for me.

I noticed that her trembling had stopped; I wanted to chuckle or something, but my voice wouldn't let me. There was still blood in there, once she moved; and apparently **summoned** their **boss summons**. I turned over and coughed it out.

No one paid attention to me, for Shizune's eyes were only for her Mistress and the other two Sannin.

"**Oi, why do I smell the brat's blood?"**Gamabunta roared as soon as the smoke cleared on his **summoning**.

Tsunade and Jiraiya couldn't say anything, the sorrow clung to them like Itachi to pocky; like Sasuke to tomatoes; like me to battle; like Ero-Sennin to bathhouses; and Baa-chan to gambling.

"You act as if I died," I grumbled loud enough for them to hear me as I tried to stand up, only to fall down. "Damn, forgot about that tendon cut."

Every eye, alive, turned to me as I hold my left hand up and, after gathering some charka, start healing my foot.

"Naruto?" Two Sannin whispered as one said it in disbelief.

"I killed you!" the other Sannin growled.

Course, no one seemed to realize that it was Kabuto who actually _almost_ killed me.

"I would have died too…if it wasn't for the merging," I said off handily. "Now, are you going to worry about me, or are you going to fight? Sheesh, you all act like my parents…Orochimaru, though, acts like one who wants to kill me."

I wasn't healing before because Kyūbi was using our charka to keep me stable and upright; but once Baa-chan fixed me enough to where I would be alive while he healed me.

I grabbed Shizune and her pig and we got back enough and watched the fight. It was really entertaining, the deadly and most advance fight I have ever seen. I wasn't on Sannin level yet, maybe Hunter and High ANBU level (in Kitsune mode), so this fight was amazing. I learned a few Jutsu, and Shizune explained the ones Tsunade used. It was funny when, after the battle, when Baa-chan went all old on me.

I took a picture and hid it; future black mail. Of course…right after I took the picture I passed out. Damn this body of mine to hell! It was then that I gave up on ever functioning with it. I would just have to wait until I got near my twenties…maybe eighteen would do.

_To be continued…_

**Katai Bunshin no Jutsu: **Solid Clone. This Clone is like the Kage Bunshin in the effect that it is solid, but this clone can actually take hits depending on how much chakra is put into it.

**Tsukiyomi: **Moon Reader. A very powerful Genjutsu that is almost impossible to break. It traps the victim in a state for a certain amount of days or hours (depending on the user), but in reality it only lasts a few seconds.

**Kuchiyose no Jutsu: **Summoning Jutsu. It's a Jutsu that summons various animals, if you have a contract with them. Jiraiya and Naruto have a contract with Toads, Tsunade has one with Slugs, while Orochimaru has one with snakes.

**Rasengan**: Spiraling Sphere. A concentrated swirling of charka in the palm of one's hand; it is the parent Jutsu for the Chidori.

Sharingan: Eye dojutsu that only the Uchiha are born with. It can copy any Jutsu, as long it isn't a Kekkai Genkai. It can also sense Charka, and see through Jutsu, and often predict what their Enemy will do. Only ones who have Sharingan are Sasuke, Kakashi (implanted), Itachi, and Madara.


	2. Chapter 2

**MOON SAYS: **So, here is chapter 2, hope it's good. I have added more to this fic. I wonder if anyone will notice what I'm preparing the way for? Something the first time around wasn't there, because I didn't even think it! It something that just happened in the third book.

**Pages: **23

**Words:** 9, 458

**Edited: **16 May 2013

**Published: **7 June 2009 (has it really been this long?)

::::Notes::::

_Thinking_

**Jutsu**

_Naruto thinking_

_**Kyūbi thinking**_

_**Shukaku "talking" thinking**_

**Summonings**

**~~Spy's Fight~~**

**Chapter 2**

Lots of things have happened since we brought Tsunade, I mean, Baa-chan back. Not all were good. First, I had to listen to Sakura bitch and moan about the almost month that I was away. Then, I had to suffer through Sasuke's emo-ness and jealousy. He knew that I was already stronger than him, but less than a month with a Sannin? He was under the conclusion that I was really stronger than him. What he doesn't know won't hurt him, right?

Kakashi had become an ass, I mean a really big ass. One minute he was all chummy and wanted to know all my secrets and right when I figured him out, he switched tactics and became distant.

Before that damn Chūnin Exam, our team work was almost perfect; now I'm lucky if Sasuke will work with me. It didn't help that I knew he couldn't remember everything that had happened during his confrontation with Itachi. Only I knew what happened; not to mention Itachi and Kisame, but they didn't have to deal with Sasuke. He knew that I was really keeping stuff from him, and we were all suffering for it.

I couldn't tell him my secrets and he was pissed. The Uchiha was still mad for what happened during the Third Stage of the Chūnin Exams. He was mad for just about everything. And it was just starting to piss me off; and I really mean piss me off.

Tsunade found out about me the first time my missions cut so close together. I had just come back from an A Rank mission: hunting down a Jōnin renegade. Shizune had come in and said Squad Seven was done there waiting for her. The blacked haired woman, though, had noticed my absence and left after telling Tsunade.

I became careless, cursed, and quickly changed. She then asked me so many questions, demanding to know things. I answered all of them, but the last one threw me for a loop. I told her I didn't know the answer for it…yet.

After the C Rank mission we went on—it involved helping a farm out and on the side, trying to peek under that mask of Kakashi's—I realized what the answer was.

As my team was leaving I stopped and looked back, I couldn't meet her eyes.

"Gaki? What's wrong? Did you get injured on the mission?" her voice held a concerned note. Images of what happened with that battle with Orochimaru flashed through my mind. It was still hard accepting that someone might really care for me.

"Nothing's wrong, I just realized the answer to your question." My voice was hesitant. I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings, or the fact that my Genin Team was still in the room.

"It's because I want to. At first it was a mission, but…_that_ changed. _I_ changed." After I spoke, my glaze went from the floor to her. She could see how vulnerable I was by just looking at my face.

Baa-chan smiled at me, "Yeah, I understand just exactly what you mean."

~~Spy's Fight~~

That was the last mission that I went on with Kakashi. I went on a few others, one being one with Idate Morino, little brother of someone I consider a brother. The brat was surprised to see me when we got to the Village; apparently, he had a run in with my teammates. I was a little late getting there and had met them at the client's house.

I ended up saving the day, more than once. It was just another opportunity for Sasuke to hate me, and there were really a lot of those lately weren't there?

The final straw happened after we had back from the mission with Idate.

Sasuke was getting bandage up, after his run in with that damn Lightning Sword. Which I destroyed; it was a threat to the Village and I eliminated it. I would have liked to keep it, but that stupid bastard gave me no choice.

I didn't go visit Sasuke until three days after the mission. He thought I was avoiding him; but I wasn't. Damn Baa-chan had me go on four missions to make up for the time I lost on that Genin Mission. It was getting pretty troublesome to pay both ANBU and Genin.

After that fourth mission I put my foot down, I wasn't going to take anymore for another day.

I found Shika and we just hung out, staring at the clouds. With him, it was weird. It was like I was with Itachi all over again. The silent comfort, support, and care he gave, was just like what I had with Itachi. I ended up breaking that very good silence and told him about Sasuke.

After a good round of troublesomes, he told me to get off my high horse and fix the damage I had done.

"If you want to meet halfway, someone has to go first. He sees everything as your fault, so you are the one who has to be the bigger man, so to speak, and step up." course there were more troublesome inserted in there.

"You really have no luck do you?"

I chuckled darkly, and closed my eyes. "My luck died the moment I was conceived."

Silence took us over again and nothing was wrong with that. We loved it; course Shika had to go and ruin it.

"If I didn't know any better, I would say you were crushing on the Uchiha brat, what with all this worrying about him, his feelings, and the fact he doesn't like you anymore." I glared and he rolled his eyes at me. "I do know better though, and Gaara would kill him if he ever found out how interested in the avenger you are."

I sighed. "I know, Shika, I know."

I should have known, with my luck that my words would come back and kick me in the ass.

But back to the Uchiha in the hospital—that Baa-chan wouldn't let him out of. Sakura, no matter what that girl said, was in love with the Uchiha. Fan girl to the end, I guess. Sasuke wouldn't talk to her, so she ended up dragging me from my peaceful spot on the ground next to Shika to the hospital.

When we were right outside the room, I stopped her and tossed her grip on me off, she stumbled back.

"What the hell, Naruto?!" she growled out at me.

"That should be my line! I was quite comfortable where I was thank you very much."

"Why haven't you visited Sasuke-kun since the mission?" she demanded in that shrill voice of hers. I really am going to kill her one day. I really will. Once I catch her betraying the Village, I will kill her. Or maybe a frame job? I honestly think that the Village would be better off without her. Safer even. Maybe just our eardrums…

I glared at her and she backed up, whimpering. "I have been on four missions, back to back, for the past three days you stupid pink poor excuse for a Kunoichi. And when I finally had some down time, some time to myself for a change, you go and drag me away! So, I think that was what I was supposed to say, what the hell Sakura?!"

The pink haired weakling didn't say anything and I left her in the hallway. When I went into the room, my glare was still on my face. I walked over to Sasuke and ignored the grump angry aura coming off of him and pushed his ass back down on the bed.

"Naruto?" he questioned while glaring an Uchiha glare at me. "What are you doing?"

I could see it in his eyes that he was wondering why he could let me touch him with so many betrayals I had against him. And yet, he wouldn't let Sakura touch him at all; and she hadn't done anything to him—besides fan girl stalking stuff.

"Being pissed off at someone who is sooo close to death," I muttered causing him to chuckle before he snapped back to his angry self.

I checked his injuries and healed the rest up. I knew that Tsunade wanted to keep him there for a few more days so she could stick more missions down my throat as Kitsune. She needed me more as Kitsune than as Naruto; that showed how weak our Village was right now.

"You're completely healed now, Uchiha," I saw him flinch at the use of his last name. I let our eyes connect for a moment and I let him see how guilty and sorry I was. He almost gave in; but I know he steeled himself.

"On the roof, now," he grunted out as he tossed back what covers still covered him and walked around the bed to the door. It opened and Sakura was just coming in. Sasuke pushed her aside and continued toward the stairs.

She glared at me, weak as always in everything she did. "What did you do Uzumaki?"

I smirked a smirk so like Sasuke's she flinched. I leaned over and whispered in her ear. "I gave him something that you will never give him. Kiss your dreams of Mrs. Uchiha goodbye."

It was true, I did give him something that she would never give him, hell I gave him more than one thing. I gave him a comrade of pain—that betrayed him, but still—I gave him healing treatment so he could fight me; and I let him feel a love he didn't think he could feel. Not that I was going to return it. Of course, there was always the aggression outlet I became for him. That was fun though, because I got to beat him up!

That pink haired bitch followed us up. Sasuke and I stood in front of each other and got into our positions. The Uchiha awakened his Sharingan for me.

"I feel honored," I let him know as I bowed. "You're using your precious Sharingan on me, makes me feel…privileged."

He growled, "Cut the crap Naruto!" and he unleashed a Taijutsu fury on me.

At least he wasn't too angry or felt betrayed at me, as he was still using my name. Of course, I knew that when he flinched at the use of his last name. He must have many bad memories of that. I would rather have him call me dobe or something, because to be honest I couldn't tell what he thought as more intimate and close. My real name or those nicknames.

In countering his Sharingan Taijutsu style, I unleashed my counter style. After training with Itachi, I knew how to counter the Sharingan really well.

I kicked him up into the air, halfway through our fight, appeared behind him, twisted and kicked him down toward the roof. The dark haired Shinobi did a back hand spring to right himself; then he commenced a second wave of Taijutsu attack on me.

This ended up with me being thrown into the clothes hanging up the dry. I had been careless, we had gotten a little too close to Sakura—I had been trying to form a plan on knocking her off the building, somehow leading to her death as she connected with the ground at a forty or so foot drop—and he got through my guard and punched me in the stomach, knocking the breath out of me. After that, a second later, he kicked me in the same spot. Double loss of breath.

I got a tiny bit upset. My dark haired teammate looked at me from the top of the water tank; our eyes connected and I guess I showed him something that made him call up the **Chidori**. I couldn't believe that he was going to freaking use that Jutsu on me.

Would this be the second time in a few months that I would have to meet his **Chidori** head on?

I licked my lips, what fun.

I started gathering Charka in right hand, the blue swirl of pure Charka. A few more moments and we threw ourselves at each other.

Course Sakura had to be a dumbass and try to run in between us. I saw Sasuke's eyes look something close to scared, but not quite. I grinned and put more weight behind my body…maybe I would hit her.

Sasuke saw this and he matched my grin with a smirk and copied me. That startled me, but hey, you're not supposed to look a gift horse in the mouth, right?

But then Kakashi had to pick this time to come back from a mission and find us. Out of all those other times he trained or went home to read that damn book. That's it, for interfering that book is getting banned.

Kakashi grabbed Sasuke's hand that held the **Chidori** and threw him toward a water tank, he went to grab me and I jumped back, but not before doing a back flip and kicking his jaw up.

The silver haired Ninja blinked before his one eye glared at me. I didn't care, and my face showed it, that pissed him off even more.

"I expected this of Sasuke, but you, Naruto?" His voice had disappointment running through it in waves.

Did he really thing something like that was going to affect me? Please, I'm a big girl.

"So? He wanted to fight, who am I to deny him?" I shrugged it off like this fight was nothing, and it was. It wasn't like that was the first time I had an A Rank Assassin Jutsu being aimed at me, and it wouldn't be the last.

"You almost killed Sakura!" he growled out at me.

I raised an eyebrow. "So? She got in the way."

Kakashi almost back handed me, and he would have tried if I hadn't raised a hand to let me speak. And if he tried to do it, he would have found his ass on the floor with blood coming out of him.

"She interfered in a consensual fight between two Shinobi's. Tell me, Hatake, have you forgotten the rules? You interfered as well."

"I am your superior officer, I have that right."

I burst out laughing. "Superior officer?" my eyes lit up with mirth. "Go to Tsunade and tell her that and see if she doesn't punish you as well."

I sighed as I felt water hitting my arm. I looked behind me, it seemed that went I jumped back I shoved my **Rasengan** into the water tank. I looked over at Sasuke and saw the triumph in his eyes at the damage our Jutsu did. He seemed to think that his Jutsu was more powerful.

Of course, he didn't know that my Jutsu was way more powerful than his, his was my Jutsu, just powered down with Lightning Charka streaming through it.

Sasuke left and Kakashi looked at me and I waved and disappeared in a gust of Wind.

I stayed back and listened to the conversation he had with Ero-Sennin.

Apparently, I am to be more trusted with deadly techniques than Sasuke. What joy…and Kakashi was getting his ass chewed out for interfering.

"Keep him busy, why I talk to a Slug," I whispered to Jiraiya as I run off to talk with Tsunade.

"What do you want brat? Haven't you heard of using the door?"

"Haven't you heard that it's more fun to use the window?" I giggled as I jumped down and sat on her desk, right in front of her. She blinked, surprised at my closeness.

"What happened, Naru?" she asked softly, her eyes told me she knew something just happened.

"Sasuke and I had a little fight up on the roof of the hospital…you're going to need new water tanks because of Kakashi," I spat his name out. "We ended up coming at each other with a **Chidori** and **Rasengan**, I had it under control." I quickly told her, but she just nodded. She trusted me.

More images flashed through my mind and I put them aside. I needed to get over this.

"Sakura had run in between us and I was all for killing her," that shocked Tsunade.

"Why?"

"She is forsaking her duty as a Shinobi because of petty emotion called love." As soon as I said I knew that I had done it too. "Not like me, I still did my duty, she isn't doing hers. She's such a fan girl. We all have to protect her during missions because she can't keep her eyes off Sasuke. We're going to get killed because she can't get her head out of Sasuke's ass!"

We paused, thinking over my last metaphor-ic statement and just shook it off. It didn't matter that it didn't make sense, or that it probably wasn't a metaphor. We just pretended I didn't say it.

"She interfered and so did Kakashi, they need to be punished. According to the Shinobi handbook, if the fight is consensual then no one can interfere without punishment."

Tsunade nodded, she knew about that rule. She had been punished when she interfered in one of Nawaki's fights.

"What do you have in mind?"

I grinned evilly. "I want Kakashi banned from Icha Icha."

Baa-chan laughed and nodded fast. She had wanted to do something with that damn book series since she found out what it was and who wrote it.

"What's this about my Icha Icha?" Ero-Sennin poked his head into the room from the window.

Baa-chan and I shared a look, "We're banning your biggest fan from your series."

Jiraiya looked sad, but he nodded. He knew what was going on, and he agreed with it.

"So what's little Sakura's punishment?" he asked as he stepped in and stood up against the wall near the two most important girls in his life.

"I heard her talking to Ino about wanting to be a Medic-Ninja. No doubt, all you see what's happening? I get trained by Jiraiya, Sasuke was chosen by Orochimaru. Only Sakura and Baa-chan are left." I share a look with Tsunade. "I don't want you training her."

Baa-chan sighed. "She has such good potential, if only for that stupid crush she has."

I smirk, "She can be trained just not by you. Or Shizune, because you trained her," I then get a thinking pose on.

"Then who shall I train?" she wondered out loud.

"Hinata Hyuuga or Ino whatever her last name is, though I would personally go with the former. All you need to do is get past her anti-self stuff and you got a really good potential."

"Anti-self?" Tsunade and Jiraiya blinked as they asked as one.

I nodded. "She doesn't think she is worth anything. But she has gotten better since the Chūnin Exams. With her Byakugan, she would be a really good Medic." I mused that last part out loud.

Tsunade nodded and mentioned for me to get off her desk so she could start the paperwork for the punishments and apprenticeships. She also wanted to get Hinata in her as soon as possible, if to avoid the bane of all Hokages.

I jumped off the desk and headed toward the window to go back to Shika, when my perverted Sensei stopped me.

"Oh no you don't, you're getting punished for killing those water tanks. Now, your mission will be to take this information I have collected the past…however many years, and find some hideouts of Orochimaru. That and we need to pick up another Akatsuki report. Go Kitsune."

I was done changing before he even got past that second sentence.

~~Spy's Fight~~

I was on a mission to find information about Orochimaru and Akatsuki, an A Rank Mission as Kitsune. Thanks to all the information that Jiraiya had collected over the years, I found a couple of the snake bastard's hide-outs: experimentation hide outs to be more precise. I even found a boy named Jūgo, apparently, he was the one that the Curse Seal was made from: his blood. He was really nice, until he snapped and went split personality on me.

I found another hide out that held a kid with teeth like Kisame and Zabuza. He was pretty violent too, had a name that started with an S…maybe Sue something. I think it sounded liked there were two Sue's in his name. Poor kid.

After that I stopped looking, I really didn't think I wanted to find out all the other shit he had been doing. That man…for some of the things that he had invented I wanted to respect him; but I wanted to be disgusted at some of the things he did! I saw a few bodies that he had tried body jumping Jutsu, whatever it was.

Orochimaru is depraved and insane; whatever happened to the genius boy who knew where to draw the line that Sarutobi taught is gone, and had been for a long time. I was just glad that Sarutobi didn't have to see the things I saw. He would have really and truly hated himself for not killing Orochimaru when he had the chance years ago. He would have blamed himself for the things that the snake bastard was doing; and I wouldn't have tried to stop him from blaming himself either. It was his fault that all that shit was going on. That stupid Hokage could have stopped all of the horrible things that had happened to those poor people by just killing the snake bastard!

Of course, if it came down to me killing Itachi, Kakashi, Sakura…okay I could totally kill her, but for the others that I had helped train…Sasuke. I don't think I could kill them. Of course, if I knew they had been doing horrendous experimentation, then I would first do a **Memory Destruction Jutsu** and delete what they have done from their minds. If that didn't help, then I would kill them.

I could kill them…I _would_ kill them.

I would fulfill my Nindo, my Ninja Way.

But did personal feelings really take a back seat to a Shinobi's duty? I didn't kill Gaara because of personal feelings; I didn't kill Itachi when he had come to kidnap me, because of personal feelings. I let Itachi, for the second time, hurt and torture his little brother, because of personal feelings. Lately, I've done a lot because of personal feelings. I should have killed Gaara, Itachi, and Kisame as soon as I saw them. I should not have mixed duty with feelings. I knew that bad things would have happened.

I should have never got close with anyone! To do your duty as Shinobi you have to be clear of personal emotions. I shouldn't have gotten attached to anyone at all. I should have distanced myself from everyone; Sarutobi, Konohamaru, Kakashi, Yugao, Tenzo, Itachi, Sasuke, Gaara, his siblings, Tsunade, and Jiraiya.

But I fell, I was hurt and weak…and they helped me. In some way, they healed a part of me and I let them in. I didn't mean too, it just happened. And now…I can't push them out; no matter how much I may want too.

But this all goes back to what Gaara and I were talking about. Being a Shinobi was destroying us…and for me it still is. I have to lie to those that hold a part of me every flipping day. Sasuke hates me more with each day that passes. Kakashi confuses the hell out of me, not to mention my ANBU team has been avoiding me lately.

Tsunade…no matter what she does, something reminds me of that moment of me waking up with her lying on top of me, protecting me…risking her life to save me. I can't get it out of my head. Then there is Jiraiya and his perverted asshole self. He ignores me, and then when I know I can't forgive him for what he is doing, he shows back up and does something that makes me forget my anger at him.

Gaara…I haven't seen him since he left after his siblings took him away from me; after our fight. It's hard not to fall back into the routine that has been my life for the past six years. I'm afraid that I will start forgetting about him and our promise.

I've started failing that promise already. Even during the thing with Tsunade I was hard pressed and struggling to remember him. The more time I spend away from him, the more I start forgetting everything.

If I don't see him soon, I am truly afraid that I will stop wanting to break away…I will break completely and become the thing that I never wanted to become. If I forget him and the promise and everything else that we shared, I will truly become what I was made to become. My emotions will go first, then my will to be different, to struggle, to stop wanting to be free.

I'm scared.

But I won't ever show it, I will not show weakness. I will not be weak.

The mission that sent me to find information about Orochimaru and Akatsuki led me to Itachi.

I was receiving the report, after I got it, I was supposed to leave. But that didn't happen. I met him instead.

"Why have you changed so much?" Itachi bluntly questioned me when we came face to face. "Has my brother done something? Where is the Kitsune that I cared for so much? Where is the Kitsune that was loyal first to her Village and never let her emotions get the better of her?"

I felt the wall against my back and just slid down it. I couldn't deal with this now. This was too much, even for me. I was a freaking thirteen year old girl! How much could I bloody take?

"I changed…all because of a fucking mission the Third Hokage sent me on. The last true mission I was given by him, the only one of real importance," my voice held sorrow and he saw it.

"I know how much it broke you to kill your clan; don't think that it didn't hurt me as well. Just by seeing how broken inside you were…it was enough to make me start hating Konoha." I spat the name out.

Itachi didn't say anything; he knew what I was feeling, for he had felt it himself. But he was a Shinobi; he didn't let emotions get in the way of his duty…except the bit about leaving Sasuke alive of course.

"My mission, a month or so before the Chūnin Exams started was to be a Genin. I was to be placed on Team Kakashi, Squad Seven, and enter the Chūnin Exam, discover the possible invasion of Konoha and stop it; or lessen the impact. I was already somewhat attached to Kakashi already; I hated the fan girl that was on the team, Sakura Haruno. I still want to kill her. But the thing that surprised me was Sasuke himself. He had become trapped in the darkness. I had promised you, do you remember, to watch over him? I was so close to getting him out of the darkness, somewhere where he doesn't belong."

I stopped, I couldn't go on. How could I confess to someone who knew me, or used to know me, inside and out, almost like he was my other half, that I had failed him? I couldn't look at him, but he made me when he cupped my chin with his right hand and raised it so I could look into his eyes. They told me to go on.

"I failed you; he is really lost in the darkness now and I can't get him out. I _pushed_ him into. I had dragged him out, and then just threw him back in."

"How?" Itachi asked his voice soft.

"He sees it as if I lied to him. I didn't tell him so many things; he believes that I should have. And then he feels like there was something he was missing about that little meeting we had a few months back. I did a **Memory Suppressant Jutsu** on him. And it seems, to him, that every time he turns around I'm hiding more things from him and getting stronger than he is. He believes that he hasn't gotten any stronger and I've surpassed him greatly. Sasuke even asked me to train him and I refused him."

I became silent and Itachi contemplated my words, his eyes never leaving mine.

"There's more, isn't there?"

This time I closed my eyes. "I found one, Itachi, I found someone like me, completely like me."

At first, I knew that he knew that he was like me. That was why we were attracted to each other in the first place. We were both children that were molded into something that we were never meant to be. We were children forced to become weapons, tools, and pawns to use at the pleasure of The Village Hidden in the Leaves.

Now Itachi understood what I was talking about. He now knew the prime reason of my changing. I was presented with something with someone was just like me in every way. Obviously, that would change someone.

"Just seeing him, seeing how alone he looked made me realize that I must have looked the same to him. It didn't help that our Bijū were calling to each other, or reacting to each other. Just seeing him made me say something that I never would have even thought about, or would have ever been present in my mind."

I opened my eyes, blue to black. "I wanted to break free, Itachi. I wanted out. I had never seen the toll it had taken on me before, but just looking at him…made me see it. I realized that I didn't want to lose myself. I had read reports on him. He thought his Sand was his mother, but it is actually Shukaku fucking him up. He needed me Itachi, and…."

"And you needed him," Itachi finished.

I blinked. "I was going to say, I couldn't say no, but you're right."

In that moment, again just contact with Itachi made me remember that damn foxes words.

_**Careful brat, I can hear you. Just because I'm quiet most of the time doesn't mean I don't listen in.**_

_Shut up._

"Itachi?"

"Hn?"

I chuckled softly, Uchiha's and that one word. That one word, depending on the person listening, it could mean anything and everything.

"Kyūbi said something, before I became too enthralled with the other Jinchūriki. He told me that there were only two people that could understand my pain. And it was only those two that I could ever be with. Do you who that second person was?"

Itachi's eyes lit up with humor. "It wasn't me, was it?" his voiced teased me.

"You don't love me do you?"

That was the question I had wanted to get to. I knew that I had fallen in love with Gaara, but Itachi didn't. I didn't want to break his heart. I had already broken his brother's…but I just couldn't live with myself if I broke Itachi's tpp.

"You're talking about love, as the love you feel for a lover."

I nodded; of course, we both knew it was rhetorical.

"I only feel love of a sister for you, occasional my hormones will get the best of me and I want to do certain things with you as a lover might, but I'm not the only one. Kakashi has always been like your older brother; but how many times has he tried…"

My Uchiha trailed off as I closed my eyes and covered my ears with my hands. I was acting like a child, something I rarely did. But something I only did around him.

I heard him chuckle and I opened one eye and saw amusement in both of his eyes. I pouted for a second, before I scowled.

Itachi shook his head and let go of my chin.

We stayed there in silence, and were perfectly alright. That was one thing I missed about Itachi; we could just sit together and be perfectly alright. Kind of like I can do with Shika…

Then a bell in the town square rang, I looked up at the sky, night was falling.

"You know that he will be going to Orochimaru soon?" I informed Itachi quietly as I stood up, ready to leave; I dusted myself off. "I haven't figured out how to get rid of the Curse Mark just yet on anyone else. Give me a few more years, and I think I can get rid of it. I'm also trying to get rid of the Cage Bird Seal of those damn Hyuuga's."

"You won't be able to stop him?" Itachi suddenly asked me.

I snorted. "I could stop him, but that isn't what you're asking me. You're asking me if I _will_ stop him. And the answer, Itachi, is—"

~~Spy's Fight~~

I should have known.

Those four words coursed through my mind, a million times a minute.

I was almost back to Konoha, when I saw these big craters in the ground from high up in the trees. I went down to check it out and smelled blood. I knew these smells and the other smells; there was one of a dog, my Shika, then the blood…and a big fat dead body.

After taking a look around, I came to a few conclusions but it only brought forth questions. Why were Genin running around? And why were they fighting for their lives?

I track the blood and find Chōji on the ground, and from what I could tell, almost dead. I tried to heal some of his muscles…maybe if I did this, I could figure out what had happened to him. His Charka coils were stretched, his muscles as well.

I then remembered about his clan, those pills. His father once told me about them after I tried to heal him when he ate the first pill. I was Kitsune at the time.

I healed as much as I could, which was only a little, and created a **Katai Bunshin**. It would take him back to the Village as I continued on to find the others.

The next scene…I hated spiders afterward. How dare some spider hybrid hurt my chosen Hyūga? I may not have said anything, nor has that clan, but I knew my heritage.

Poor Neji had so many brown sticks, sticking out of him. I pulled one out and felt the Charka in it. I quickly located the other body; I knew instantly that this was an experiment of Orochimaru's. The arms were a dead giveaway.

But why would he be hunted by Genin?

I healed some of Neji's wounds; just enough get him to Konoha alive.

"Who…are…you?"

I snapped my body to look back at him.

I knew what I looked like. Damn, how would I explain this if I had to go back to being Naruto?

He didn't know a five foot five woman, with long blonde hair in a pony tail and looked to be around twenty. I had a long black trench coat on, but it wasn't all black. The bottom had dark orange flames around it. Under that I wore a black skort, but like my trench coat it wasn't all black, the shorts under it were orange, but unless the skirt moved you couldn't see it. Under the short, I had fishnet stockings going all the way down to my boots and my boots stopped at the knees.

Really, he didn't know me at all. Quickly, I thought of an excuse. Later he would know the truth, but right now, I just was not ready to reveal who I was, because really, I didn't _know_ who I was.

"Tsunade-sama sent me and Naruto Uzumaki to help you out. I am Kitsune. Go to sleep, I will get you back to Konoha," and before he could protest I put him in a **Sleep Jutsu**.

I created a **Katai Bunshin** to search the forest alongside me, I could feel like five or so Charka's to the south of us, toward the Village. The **Bunshin** would take care of them, now I had to deal with Neji.

One **Katai Bunshin** later that helped Neji, I ran toward the other Genin. I smelled the dog and Kiba, but their scent stopped at a ravine. It seemed that they fell, I couldn't help them. I had to keep moving on. Was it because I had people that I cared for more than Kiba?

I quickly located Shika's Charka. He was with someone else, someone I didn't recognize, and I sensed another Chakra approaching. I quickly changed into my Genin self and teleported myself to where Shika was.

"Che, took you long enough." Shika said as I stood next to him. "Did you see anyone else behind me?"

I heard the hope in his voice. "I sent Neji and Choji with a **Bunshin** to the Village. Kiba…I went straight here, I don't know anything about him. What the hell is going on?" I asked as we dodged Kunai and various other things that the woman in front of us was throwing at us.

"Sasuke was kidnapped by these four bastards and we went after them."

"Ha! You call us bastards? You little shit, you know nothing! That Uchiha brat _came _with us." The foul mouthed red head in front of us taunted.

The barrel that she had, it felt like Sasuke's Charka was coming out of it.

That was when those four words resonated inside of my head.

_I should have known._

As soon as I was gone, he would leave. He knew that I was the only one that could have stopped him and when I wasn't there, and he took that chance and left.

I should have known.

"Tayuya, you are late," a deep cold voice said out of nowhere.

This was the one that I had sensed when I approached.

"Kimimaro! But you're…"

"I'm fine, at least I am the only one trying to do my duty here. Why haven't you gotten back yet?" he looked at us. "Can you not beat a few weak children?"

"They had more with them, and one by one we had to leave each other behind. Sakon and Ukon just fell down a ravine with one of the other shits," she growled at the mere thought of my fellow Genin.

The silver headed Ninja known as Kimimaro shook his head at her. "Get rid of these two," with that said, he grabbed Sasuke's barrel and ran off.

I narrowed my eyes at my prey that was getting away. "Shika, can you take her?"

"Troublesome, I guess I can. You know I don't like fighting girls."

"Tough, have fun my love." I teased and left with a smirk.

Before Tayuya knew what was happening I was passed her and running from branch to branch after the silver headed man with two dots on his forehead.

Wait a minute…if I remembered correctly from Jiraiya's research they were the Sound Five, which was until their leader got sick. The leader was the last of the Kaguya Clan. If that was so, it was easy to gets that I just left Shika with the one who used Flutes.

I threw the negative thoughts forming in my out. Shika would survive. He was smart; he would figure her out and win.

Before I knew it, I was in a clearing with the Kaguya in front of me, waiting. Sasuke's barrel was on the ground, on his right side.

"You're faster than a Genin should be."

I nodded. "And you don't look your age. None of you do, for that matter…" I trailed off, thinking of how all of them look—the ones that I had seen anyway.

"That big dude, the spider dude, and that girl, did not look fourteen." I turned my eyes to him. "And you don't look fifteen."

The silver haired teen in front of me smirked. "And you're not really a Genin are you?"

I shrugged while grinning. "A Ninja's job is to see underneath the underneath, after all."

"Why did you chase after me? You don't seem like you want to take him away." Kimimaro commented.

I sighed. "I just want to talk to the bastard that's all," then I look the Shinobi in front of me, up and down, "It seems we have to wait though, let's play."

~~Spy's Fight~~

"Tsunade-sama! You can't be serious, Sasuke would never…" Kakashi started, but stopped when he saw the look that she was giving him.

"He's gone and he is in the hands of the Sound Four: the guards of Orochimaru himself." Jiraiya told the boy harshly. "They are the very ones who kept up the barrier around Sensei during the invasion. If that isn't enough evidence, then what is?"

"They could have kidnapped him," Kakashi persisted.

Tsunade shook her head. "That has a limited percent chance of happening. It's more likely that he left of his own free will."

"I need to go after him, recue my precious Genin from the clutches of the evil Sound Ninja."

'Tsunade-sama," a light, husky feminine voice said monotony.

Kitsune appeared in the corner of the room and came out of the shadows, ignoring Kakashi.

"Back from your mission, eh," Jiraiya grinned.

Kitsune didn't smile. "I completed the mission, but I will be late because of a problem. This is a **Bunshin** that you are talking to."

Tsunade's face took on a grim tone. "What is it?"

"I was almost back, but I ran into some huge craters. I investigated it and found Chōji, almost dead. Shizune is working on him now, I healed him a little but…he used those pills. All of them."

Tsunade's face became pale and so did Jiraiya's.

"What?"

"He wasn't going to die, that is when I left him in the hospital. Another **Bunshin** was sent to deliver Neji Hyūga back. He was almost dead when I found him. One other **Bunshin** healed and carried about two or so others. I believe that their names were Genma Shiranui and Raido Namiashi. They were in a team of five, Shizune included. They are back and Shizune started healing Chōji. Neji is stable, but will require your attention."

"What else happened?"

"As I went ahead, I ran into Naruto Uzumaki as I found Shikamaru Nara. Shikamaru was fighting the female of the Sound Four. Sasuke was Sealed inside of a barrel, and another Sound Ninja showed up. Naruto is currently fighting him, while waiting for Sasuke to awaken. Once he awakes, she will follow him."

"What aren't you telling me? Where is Kiba?"

"Rock Lee has followed them. Judging by his speed, he will arrive there soon after Sasuke awakens. Kiba fell down into a ravine with one of the other Sound Ninja. I suggest you send backup, not Kakashi, he will only get in the way. While you call for backup, I will start treating Neji. I will keep him as stable and alive as I can, but I am not as good as you are."

"Dismissed," Tsunade turned to Jiraiya, "Take care of him, I've got to call backup. If you need me, I will be down in the ER."

She disappeared in a whirl of leaves.

Kakashi turned to Jiraiya. "You can't just leave them, they need me! Naruto and Sasuke will kill each other, you saw, yourself, what happened yesterday."

Jiraiya chuckled. "I saw more than you saw yesterday. Naruto wasn't going to hurt Sasuke, not much anyway. She had it all under control."

"And Sakura dying, that was under control?" Kakashi roared.

Jiraiya's eyes hardened as did his tone. "You know nothing, and you probably never will. Naruto is way more than you think she is. If anything, it is only because of her that Sasuke will probably live after this betrayal. She will keep him alive."

"Why? They hate each other."

Jiraiya shook his head. "No, they don't. See, you should have never become a Sensei. You lack the faith in your students. Either three things will happen. Naruto will bring Sasuke back, maybe a little worse for wear; or she will let him go."

"And the third," Kakashi asked, even though he knew the answer.

"She'll kill him," Jiraiya broke it to him straight. "But I doubt it; she made that man a promise, she wouldn't go back on it."

"She won't kill Sasuke," Kakashi told him after a few minutes of silence, from which he was thinking of the three options the other man gave him.

Jiraiya looked amused. "And why is that?"

"Because of her Nindo, Sasuke is more of her precious people."

That caused the Perverted Sannin to burst out laughing. "So, you couldn't even see through that lie, huh?"

Kakashi looked confused.

"Her Nindo is not protecting her precious people. Her Nindo is doing her duty. If her duty needs her to kill Sasuke, she will, without hesitation. Or should would have, had she not made _him _that promise."

"What?"

"Kakashi, you know nothing about her. The only thing you really know about her is who her parents are and that she is female. When she comes back, don't try to be her sensei, or her friend. You'll end up hurting yourself."

~~Spy's Fight~~

"Well, someone took their sweet time getting up," I said dryly.

Sasuke gave me a look and ran off. That was when I sighed.

"I thought you were going to go after him," Kimimaro reminded me as he looked amused.

It seemed that during those five or more minutes that we were fighting, okay, fake fighting, he seemed to like me. Great.

"I will, just when someone comes and keeps you occupied. I'm not that cruel as to leave you with no one to keep you company," I winked at him.

He smiled, poor thing. I knew he was going to die. Sickness seemed to radiate off of him.

Soon, Lee arrived, and I ran off after Sasuke.

I found him in a very ironic place. The Valley of the End. It was the place where the First Hokage and Madara Uchiha squared off.

"You know, it's not very healthy to run away from things. Or shove them in the back of your mind…I should know. I tend to do both." I told him as I jumped onto Madara's statue. We were on the hand that was in the shape of a hand sign.

"What are you doing here?"

"You thought that you would have a clean break by leaving the Village when I wasn't there? Nice and smart," I commented.

I think he was expected me to demand he return to the Village or something like that.

"Do you know about this place?" he shook his head. "The statue you are standing on is Madara Uchiha. The other one is the First Hokage. Did you know that those two founded the Village Hidden in the Leaves?"

He nodded his head and rolled his eyes, everyone knew that.

"Madara was upset, to put it lightly, that he wasn't Hokage. He was even more upset that his Clan did not have as much power as he would have liked in the Village. So he ran away, and dear old Hashirama Senju, who is the grandfather of our dear Tsunade, ran after him. Their fight carved this Valley. This was the ending place of the founders of Konoha, the ending of so many things. There are rumors of course, that Madara didn't die here. Of course, I totally believe that. He was an Uchiha, and Uchiha's are…unpredictable." My voice took on distant ton and Sasuke heard this.

"The First Hokage didn't die here either, he died somewhere else." I had detailed repots on the Akatsuki members and one in particular. One had multiple hearts, and one of those was the First Hokage.

"Aren't you going to try and get me to come back?" he asked bluntly. For him, there was no other reason as to why I was here.

"Do you want me to?" I countered. "Sasuke, I am going to be very blunt with you, as you have been with me. I lied at the Funeral. My Nindo is completing my duty as a Shinobi. I will also tell you that I hate Konoha; but because of my Nindo, I can't leave. I gave my word to the Third, to be a Shinobi and I take that seriously."

~~Spy's Fight~~

Sasuke couldn't understand her. He was so mad at her for not telling him anything, for betraying him, and here she was telling him things about herself. Things that was obviously important to her. And now she wasn't trying to make him go back to Konoha? What was wrong with her?

~~Spy's Fight~~

"I can't tell you everything; I've made various promises to various people, so not all my secrets are mine to tell."

I was tired of standing so I sat down on the giant statue.

"I'm not going to take you back to Konoha, Sasuke, so don't worry about it. You aren't a big enough of a threat for me to kill you." I chuckled at his scowling. "Not yet anyway," that seemed to pacify him.

"I am going to let you go. Orochimaru is a threat to Konoha and always will be. The snake bastard will be a threat even after he dies. I want you to train under him, and when you feel like you can't learn anymore, kill him."

Sasuke blinked, but put up his emotionless façade. He was never going to understand me.

"And after that? You think I'll want to come home? Remember, I am an Avenger, something that you wouldn't understand."

I turned away from him. "I understand some of your pain Sasuke, but I won't lie and say I understand all of it. I will never know what it feels like to have blood family and then have it all ripped away from you by the person you love most in the world. I do understand what it means to be an avenger."

The Uchiha stared at me in disbelief.

"I am a tool Sasuke, a weapon to be used and disposed of at the Will of the Village. For years, I have wanted revenge against those that have wronged me. Those that have wronged people I care for. But most of all, I want revenge for me. The only difference between the two of us," I started and made sure our eyes connected. "Is that I choose not to follow down that path."

"Being an Avenger is my destiny!" Sasuke insisted.

I stood up, dusted myself off, and turned my back on him. "Everything is about choices. You weren't there for the whole speech I gave Neji during our match in the Third Round of the Chūnin Exams. Destiny is what we make of it, if you want to truly be an Avenger then I won't stop you."

Before either of could say anything, I felt an enormous surge of Chakra.

_Gaara's Charka._

_**Yeah kit, it is his. He must have been in a great battle to have him use that much Charka. That's like saying: this is my final attack, now DIE fucker!**_

_Why is he here? _

_**Didn't your Bunshin ask Tsunade for backup?**_

_But I didn't mean them! She must have sent for the Sand Siblings._

_**Well, you were having trouble earlier with your promise. Maybe this is a sign for you to not fall back.**_

When I spoke, I didn't even turn to Sasuke or look at him. "Go, before I regret letting you go without a fight."

Sasuke hesitated. "You could come too. Remember, he gave you a Curse Mark as well…which seems to be missing."

"I got rid of it; give me a few years Sasuke and yours will come off. First, though, you have to kill Orochimaru."

"Why don't you come with me and we can kill him together?"

_For someone who keeps saying that he wants to be an Avenger, he keeps on trying to get me to come with him._

"I can't, Orochimaru would kill me on site. Before you ask, I will tell you why: when I went to go get Tsunade, we ran into Orochimaru and Kabuto. The snake had his arms sealed by the Third Hokage during their fight. He wanted Tsunade to heal them; but I convinced her to fight him and be Hokage."

Now Sasuke knew why I had a personal relationship with her.

"I ended up killing Kabuto, but I died," I looked at him then, his eyes wide. "Tsunade almost died herself to save me. After Kabuto was killed, Orochimaru came after me himself, even with Jiraiya not even five feet away from him. I stopped breathing, my heart stopped, Tsunade healed me a little, and Orochimaru stabbed her through the heart. I blacked out after I collapsed, all I know is that when I woke up, she was standing over me, protecting me, with a sword through her chest, bleeding all over me."

So, I gave him a small smile, "He doesn't like me right now. Sasuke, if you end up wanting to come back, you now have a free pass. Just don't let this Avenging stuff take too much of you okay? Now go Sasuke, before any of the others come and find me letting you go. I don't want to have to explain myself."

The little Uchiha nodded and left. After he was out of sight, I felt Gaara make his presence known.

"So, how much did you hear?" I asked him before I let my gaze shift from where Sasuke disappeared to him.

"You didn't sense me coming?" he asked curiously.

I shook my head. "I was kind of distracted."

Gaara's eyes narrowed. "With the Uchiha," his voice accused me.

Before I knew it, Gaara had slammed my back up against the fingers of Madara's that were in the shape of a hand sign.

Okay, I will be the first to admit, I like pain. Pain reminds us that we are alive. Moreover, I will admit I wasn't expecting him to slam me up against fingers of all places. Well, if I was going to be technical, it was stone I was slammed against. I was surprised.

I knew that saying I was distracted with the Uchiha, enough to not notice Gaara approach, was a bad thing to say. I mean, with the Demons inside of us reacting to each other's present, how could not I feel that? That meant that whatever was distracting me was really deep.

Shika's words, flashed through my mind. _Gaara would kill him if he ever found out how interested in the avenger you are._

Well, unlucky for me, I was the only one he could touch. Which, considering I loved Gaara, was that really a bad thing?

For the love of me, I don't think I would have ever guessed what was going to happen. I had made a promise to myself after what happened with Konohamaru that the next person would die.

But how could I kill Gaara? If I wouldn't kill him because of Shinobi duty, how could I kill him for a personal reason?

Gaara kissed me.

At first, it was full of blind anger and passion, as if he was staking his claim. Then, it turned hesitant and soft.

We both knew that he hadn't meant to be so rough before, and that was why I kissed him back. We kissed until we realized that we had to breathe.

He pulled back and his eyes were unfocused; as if he didn't understand what was going on.

In response, I rested my forehead against his shoulder. I wrapped my arms around him, telling him without words that I was okay.

Remember, with us we didn't need words.

"Sorry," he whispered in my ear.

"I don't think you've ever been jealous have you?" I chuckled; I seemed to be doing that a lot lately. He didn't answer because he didn't have too.

I raised my head off his shoulder and leaned it against his forehead. My arms stayed around his neck, and our eyes connected. "I don't love him, he may like me, but I can't return it. There are so many things that separate us. He will never understand me. You," I said as I gave him a chaste kiss, "do."

_To be continued…_

**Chidori: **Kakashi's signature Jutsu, it's a lightening attack; user literally holds it in their hand. User does have to run in a straight line though.

**Rasengan**: Spiraling Sphere. A concentrated swirling of charka in the palm of one's hand; it is the parent Jutsu for the Chidori.

**Katai Bunshin no Jutsu: **Solid Clone. This Clone is like the Kage Bunshin in the effect that it is solid, but this clone can actually take hits depending on how much chakra is put into it.

Bunshin: Clone


	3. Chapter 3

**MOON SAYS: **So, here is chapter 3. I think this is one I added a bit to...

**Pages: **19

**Words:** 8, 799

**Edited: **16 May 2013

**Published: **7 June 2009 (has it really been this long?)

::::Notes:::

_Thinking_

**Jutsu**

_Naruto thinking_

_**Kyūbi thinking**_

_**Shukaku "talking" thinking**_

**Summonings**

**~~Spy's Fight~~**

**Chapter 3**

Tsunade had healed Neji, and then proceeded to go in and helped Shizune with Chōji before Kitsune…Naruto got back. The **Bunshin** was a real help, and it was learning, so that mean Naruto was learning Medical Jutsu as well.

To be honest, Tsunade wanted to take Naruto on as an apprentice. But, she that Naruto was more of a fighter than a healer. The little blonde could heal, if it came down to it, but she wasn't meant for it. She had too many responsibilities and duties; the girl did not belong in the shadows or on the side, she belonged on the front lines.

~~Spy's Fight~~

I walked into the waiting hallway outside the operating room Chōji was in, with Gaara behind me. Shika was saying some nonsense to Temari and I went and hit him on the back of the head.

"Che, that hurt woman! Why did you hit me?" Shika grumbled. "I thought you weren't that troublesome blonde who will hit me."

I rolled my eyes. "You were being an idiot, so I had to knock some sense into you. You didn't fail anyone; you only fail them when you make their sacrifice be in vain. Trust me; you know when you failed them." I told him as my hand rubbed his shoulder.

"But Neji and Chōji almost died," Shika insisted. "If it wasn't for you, they would be dead."

I shook my head. "They had a good half hour before they would have dead without Medical Treatment. You did everything you could have. You did great, Shika, never think otherwise." I gave him a smile, one that he returned.

"You are troublesome woman."

"Didn't you say so the day I met you?" I smirked.

"Did you get the Uchiha?" he asked, changing subjects so fast, it could give whiplash.

I shook my head and whispered in his ear, "I let him go."

I walked over to Temari and hugged her. "You okay, girl; nothing keeping you down?" I asked with a grin in my voice and titled my head at Shika. She blushed lightly and tried to hit me, and I dodged, laughing.

"Let me go check on Chōji, okay?" I told Shika and he nodded. I slipped into the operating room and looked around for a moment, finding my **Bunshin** and nodded to it. Tsunade saw me, but continued working.

"Chōji's fine, Naru-chan. Go tell that Nara to stop worrying. The kid will be out of surgery in a few minutes."

I left and told Shika what I was told and he nodded. I saw something I didn't like and gripped his shoulders. He raised his head to meet my eyes. "Are you okay? You know, it goes both ways."

I felt Gaara and Temari's eyes on us, but they stayed back. Temari knew that she wasn't close enough to Shika to help him, yet.

He sighed. "I endangered three of my friend's lives, not to mention yours—which I won't since is never in danger," that got a laugh out of me, just like he wanted. "For someone who didn't want to be saved, don't deny it. You know that it would have all been for nothing if it wasn't for you."

I understood what he was saying. "There will be times Shika that you will have to do missions that you don't want to do. Missions that you don't believe in, but you will still do them. And you will pull through, with everyone on your team alive."

My words comforted him, something that did something to my heart. Why was it every time I turned around, these people were doing something to my heart? Itachi, Gaara, Tsunade, Shika?

I shook my head clear, "Let's go, no use standing here worrying." When Shika started to protest, I threatened him. "Don't make me turn into that tomboyish girl who hits you."

Just like I wanted, Shika laughed. I slung my arm around his shoulders, grabbed Gaara's arm, and made Shika grab Temari's and we left the hospital.

The four of us sat together and talked for a few peaceful hours that had nothing to do with blood, death, or Shinobi's. Until Kankuro came up; the butthole ended up starling us and we all attacked him.

~~Spy's Fight~~

"We're leaving as soon as possible, pack your bags." Ero-Sennin informed me as I entered my big lonely house.

My father was a Namikaze, the last one (besides me). The Namikaze Clan was always few in numbers, but that last Shinobi War wiped them all out but dad. After I found out who my parents were (when I became an ANBU), I've been living here. I had a room at the ANBU headquarters, but I only used it when I'm really tried after a whole line up of missions.

"And where, pray tell, are we going?" I asked him as I entered the house, and went straight to my room. He followed me, and didn't either bother looking at how the house had been changed.

I knew for a fact that my estranged Godfather had been here on more than one occasion.

"Anywhere and everywhere," he replied as we entered my room.

I sighed and found my bag. It was the one I used for really long missions. This one was bigger than my head, but not much bigger. It had a weight modifying Jutsu on it, as well as a space Jutsu. I could fit half my room in here and still have room.

"How long are we going for?"

"For at least two and half years," Ero-Sennin answered as he sat on my bed.

I stopped. "The snake bastard jumped bodies didn't he?"

The old man nodded. "I will train you aboard as we collect information and research on Akatsuki and my wayward ex-teammate."

I nodded. "Go into the study and get me some storage scrolls. I need one for clothes, toiletries, gear, Ninja gear, Ninja scrolls, and two extra in case I forget something."

My mentor was gone in a second and returned in five. "Now go get me various Jutsu Scrolls and books to keep be occupied when you're doing your perverted research. Something I will not help you in…unless you want me to write the book…" we paused after I said those words, I didn't like that grin on his face.

"Naru-chan, if Tsunade heard those words she would string me up alive and then she would torture the perverted-ness out of you." Ero-Sennin smirked that perverted smirk of his.

I growled at his teasing. "Go get those damn scrolls."

Ero-Sennin picked up the books and scrolls that I wanted—his choices of course—and waited till I told him what to do with them

"Okay, Seal those books into one of those storage scrolls, while I get my clothes. Once you get done with that start talking with me again."

For five minutes, we had silence, and then the idiot had to go and complete the task I had given him.

"You might give me more of a challenge, like your clothes maybe? I promise that I'll pick just the right ones." Jiraiya winked at me with that perverted-ness in his eyes.

I rolled my eyes and told him no. "Baka, go and pack me some Ninja Gear; I only have one with my swords right now. I need other things, and whatever you want to teach me with."

His white hair went up and down, while he nodded at me and went off to find various things. He knew this house better than I did after all.

I had a good fifteen minutes by myself, and I had finished packing my clothes and my toiletries. That included shampoo, soap, feminine things, the works. I even managed to half pack my other gear, like rope, duck tape, non-ninja knives, sleeping bags, blankets, that kind of stuff, before he came back into my room.

He saw that I had four completed scrolls on my bed and frowned. "I wanted to pick out your clothes!"

I waved his whine away and took the scroll he had in his hand. I then labeled all of them and stuck them in my bag. I smiled at five labeled scrolls. "It is less messy when you know Seals, right?"

That was something that we shared, love of Seals. Then, I remembered a few promises I made concerning Seals.

I looked up and smiled at him. Another love we shared was for challenges.

"I made two promises," I informed him.

His smile matched mine, "about Seals I hope."

I nodded. "One was to get rid of the Caged Bird Seal and the Curse Mark."

Jiraiya's smile became thin. "Neji Hyūga and Sasuke Uchiha, correct?"

I nodded again, hoping that challenge smile would come back, and it did.

"You're not hung up on Sasuke like I was on Orochimaru are you? Or Itachi?"

I sighed. "Neither left the Village like Orochimaru did; and Sasuke won't go off and experiment and torture people like snake bastard is doing. Trust me. And Itachi, haven't you read his mission files? He was ordered to do the massacre of the Uchiha Clan. That was his mission, and you know what?" I looked him dead in the eyes, mine reflecting how serious of what I was about to tell him was. "I helped him, he wasn't the only one killing Uchiha that night."

Ero-Sennin didn't seem that shocked at my confession. "I knew you would always go far for your Village and even further for your friends. That is why we are so alike, even if you can't see it most of the time."

"Due to how pervert-ive you are," I made sure he why I didn't think we were the same sometimes.

"To be honest, I think I'm a little mixture of you and Tsunade." I mused out loud. "Sometimes I hate perverts with a passion, and sometimes I find myself in a conversation with someone about your books. And various other things as well," I quickly add before he could harp on the thing I said before.

"Anyway, I think I'm about done. Are you all packed up?" I asked him as we made our way toward the front door.

Ero-Sennin nodded and we made our way toward Tsunade's office. We shared a look and we smirk. I rubbed my hands together, and we started to mask our Charka. We're going to spy on the Hokage, for like a few seconds before we burst in and startle her.

"Kakashi and Sakura, thank you for coming. In light of what happened with the Uchiha, I postponed your punishments." We peered through the window to see Tsunade making sure Sakura didn't speak. Who wanted to hear that shrill fan girl voice anyway?

"Don't speak, not yet anyway. You are being punished because you broke of the Shinobi's most scared laws between each other. If two Ninja on the same team are having trouble with one another, they have the choice of fighting it out. This is to get them over whatever is making them have trouble with teamwork. Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki were using this law, and you two interfered. What do you have to say for yourself? Kakashi, I want to hear your excuse, you have been a Shinobi for years and used this law for your own uses once upon a time."

Kakashi took a breath. "I am their superior so I have this right, besides that, they were using deadly A Rank Assassin Jutsu against each other. Not to mention that they were about to kill Sakura, who was trying stop them from killing each other. I was trying to protect my team."

Tsunade listened, but didn't say anything, "Sakura, your turn."

"Tsunade-sama, Naruto was being a bitch like always and pissed Sasuke-kun off. So he wanted to fight her, I tried to stop them, but Naruto shoved me aside in the hallway outside of Sasuke-kun's room and told me to fuck off. I went up after them and when I saw Naruto use that really deadly evil Jutsu I had to protect Sasuke-kun!"

Tsunade wanted to snort; even Kakashi had seen that some of the crap the girl was saying was wrong.

"Naruto, get your ass in here and tell me what happened."

I groaned from outside the window. "Damn you Ero-Sennin! You did something wrong. There is no way she sensed me." I continue to groan while I slipped thru the window.

He chuckled as he came in behind me. "What are you talking about? The only time I get caught is by you and Tsunade…oh, but that only applies to peeking!" he tried to cover himself up. "It's your fault gaki."

We both look to Tsunade; my hands were on my hips, demanding her to tell us how she knew we were out there.

She sighed with a smile on her lips. "I have a sixth sense about him peeping." When I was about to turn on him, she continued on. "But this time, I saw your shadows."

We both started muttering darkly.

"Now, Naruto tell me what happened."

"You're going to believe her? Hmph, she'll just lie to save herself and put all the blame on Sasuke-kun." Sakura glared at me.

I was sick of this. "Sakura you really are stupid aren't you? What happened to you? Did that sand cut off too much oxygen to your brain? I heard that if your brain can't breathe, you get stupid and your personality changes. What happened to that girl that I went into the Chūnin Exams with? Where did the not-fan-girl go?"

Sakura glared at me some more, thinking that maybe this time I would be intimidated. "She died. She thought you were her friend, someone who had her back, who helped her become stronger. You tricked her, betrayed her and Sasuke-kun! I've seen you with those Sand Ninja before the Third Part of the Chūnin Exam. I saw you sitting next to that…monster during the Preliminary's break. You're a traitor! And not only that, but I can't believe that you would bewitch Sasuke-kun like that! There is no way you saved me from that…monster! I know you're strong, but please, you were never stronger than Sasuke-kun. I see the way you look at him; I see the way you act. I'm the only one who can see you for who you really are: a traitorous bitch."

It took every ounce of will power I had to keep me from launching myself at her. When she called Gaara a monster, she called me one as well. I didn't care about me being a monster, I knew I was. But Gaara? It wasn't his fault.

Jiraiya put a hand on upper arm and tightened his grip. Everyone but her could see how I was getting held back from kicking her ass.

"See? You can't deny what I'm saying, because it's true." Sakura mocked and taunted me.

"That's enough Haruno! Keep quiet or I will make sure you're quiet permanently." Tsunade thundered at the little girl. "Naruto, tell me what happened."

I calmed myself by doing an Uchiha: putting up that emotionless mask. Sometimes I hated that damn thing, but right now I loved it.

I kneeled down in front of her on my left knee, my right arm around my back in an L shape, and my left arm palm face on the ground in front of my left knee. It was ANBU report style.

"Yes, Hokage-sama," I agreed, my voice in a monotone. "I was lying out in the fields, with Nara, when Haruno comes and drags me to Uchiha's room. She then demands in a very not polite tone why I haven't been to see Uchiha, though she made it clear she didn't want me seeing him. I inform her, just as coldly, that I have been on missions. Her hateful attitude is gone, and instead she is whimpering. I go into the room, still upset, heal Uchiha to perfect condition and he tells me, quite shortly too like all Uchiha, that he wants me on the roof, now."

Jiraiya couldn't help but snort at the comment about Uchiha's that I made, I would have grinned, but I was in my Shinobi mode. Tsunade ignores him and tells me to go on.

"We get up there and we start to fight. I hurt him and he hurts me, we knew that we weren't going to get anywhere so he decided to amp up the stakes. Uchiha was on the top of one of the water tanks, the smaller one, while I was close to the taller one. He starts up the **Chidori** and I start up my **Rasengan**. What else would I use against a **Chidori**? It was only for show though, I was going to use my left hand, grab his wrist and cancel out his **Chidori**. I did it a few months pier, Jiraiya-sama would have been a witness to that had he been paying attention to his charge instead of going after a pretty girl—who was in fact bait from Akatsuki."

The killer intent Tsunade let loose on Ero-Sennin was beautiful and my heart flutter.

Said pervert gave me a betrayed look. "You promised not to tell her! I did come in and drive them away before the Uchiha brat got permanently damaged."

"Jiraiya, after this is through, we are having a long talk! Don't go anywhere," she said through her teeth.

"I had the situation under control, but things changed with Haruno in between us. She was going to die, and for interfering I thought that was a fitting punishment, considering other Villages would do much worse to those who break the rules. Hatake had to enter as well, throwing everything out of my control. He grabbed Uchiha's wrist and slung him into the small water tank; while I jumped back, kicked him as I did a back flip."

"Your **Rasengan**?" Jiraiya asked, a knowing smirk played out on his face.

"I didn't notice until water started getting my arm wet. When I jumped back, I shoved my right hand into the water tank. When I left, I saw the damage done to the tanks. Uchiha's had a medium size whole in the front; while mine had a small hole in the front and a huge one in the back."

"That was why only a small amount of the water got on you," Tsunade mused. "All of it had gone out the back, except just a few seconds of water at the beginning. Did the Uchiha see this?"

"I believe he did, this was the last straw for him apparently. I also have it on good word that when he realized that I wasn't in the Village, he left with the Sound Four."

Haruno looked like she was about to burst, her face was purple. Thankfully, someone seemed to put a **Silent Jutsu** on her.

Tsunade nodded, "Did you want to tell your Team what happened with the Uchiha or do you want me too?"

I gave a small smirk that was quickly wiped away, but she saw it.

"So be it," she waved a hand at me.

I turned toward Hatake and Haruno. "Uchiha has left the Village and will not be returning, and if he does it will be for a very long time. By the time I got back from my mission, I was too late. I met with an ANBU named Kitsune and she healed Chōji, Neji and those who were with Shizune. I ran ahead and reached Shika, a few seconds later, after he told me what the situation was another Sound Ninja came and took Uchiha. I ran after him, while I left Shika to fight with the woman Sound Ninja. I had to wait too long for back up, which was Rock Lee, by the time I chased after Uchiha he was passed the Valley of the End. He was out of Fire Country, where I have no jurisdiction."

Tsunade nodded, "All that is correct; now, about your punishments. Kakashi, you are forbidden from Icha Icha till I say so."

"You can't do that!" Kakashi sputtered, his eyes wide.

"Actually, as Hokage I can deem what my Shinobi can read and can't read if it stops them from doing their duty. And if it comes to it, I can ban it from Konoha. Just like bars and gambling places are banned," Tsunade muttered the last darkly.

Kakashi looked to Jiraiya for support, but he wasn't getting any. "If something went wrong, you could have killed all three of them. What if Uchiha fought you? That **Chidori** could have hit both of you, not to mention Naru."

I smirked openly. "You just better pray Hatake that baa-chan is in a better mood by the time we come back; maybe then I will let you read the new book."

"New book? Back?" Kakashi asked confused.

"Apparently, I am being dragged to I don't know where, and the pervert will be writing a book," I told him but before Jiraiya could rad me out on the writing one, I put a **Silent Jutsu** on him.

Tsunade shook her head at my cruelty. "Haruno, just shake your head yes or no. You wanted to become my apprentice no?"

Sakura nodded her head really fast, and she was smiling. Did she really think that after all was said that this was an opportunity for her?

"I will not teach idiots who can't follow Shinobi laws. I was considering you as my apprentice, but seeing as you can't follow simple rules and will not relinquish your…membership as a fan girl, I won't take you. And neither will Shizune," Tsunade added as she saw the hope leave Sakura's face to be replaced by another hope, only to be replaced by sorrow.

"That doesn't mean that you can't be a medic, you just have to be trained by someone else. Both of you are dismissed."

Kakashi nodded and dragged a destitute Sakura with him.

Now, I was going to save my Ero-Sennin from the beating that we all knew was coming. "Baa-chan, we're leaving, all packed and everything." I went up and hugged her, whispering good bye in her ear. Then, me and the pervert were gone, like the Wind.

~~Spy's Fight~~

It took us three days max to reach Suna, Village Hidden in the Sand. It had been a week since Gaara went home, that was before we left Konoha.

All the way over, Jiraiya and I had been discussing possible Seals that could help Gaara.

"What if we make the Seal like yours? We should have them close as we can get; without calling the Shikigami of course," gthe old Sannin tried to joke, but this was a serious subject after all.

"Yes, a Five Prong Seal that slowly merges them together? That last is mandatory. I want them to merge; because if my theory is right, if we nip Shukaku, the One Tailed Demon first, then the rest are useless to them. They will either have to start with me or the On Tail…and I'm already out of commission."

As we got closer to the Village surrounded by Sand, I had a bad thought, this bad thought, made me a bad putty tat.

"How about we find out how good our sneaking skills are? What do you say, super pervert? If you can sneak into a Ninja Village, how hard is it to spy on naked women?"

He gave me a look one of those looks that told me I was stupid. "You wouldn't believe how different; but let's do it!"

We wouldn't have been caught, no sire, if it wasn't for that damn connection that Kyūbi had with Shukaku…a connection that I haven't figured out the reasons behind yet.

"So, what do I owe this honor of your visit?" a voice that I loved to hear asked quietly, right in my ear actually.

I jumped; I knew he was near me, but I didn't expect him to be right next to my ear!

"Gaara what the hell? Don't startle me like that; I could kill you, you know." The red head just chuckled and it made me want to growl.

I could hear the old pervert whisper to me mockingly, from a few yards ahead—behind a building of course. "You got caught!"

"Just wait till we get back, Tsunade really is going to hear all about how, you damn pervert, you corrupted me!"

The old man 'epped' and ran off, knowing he had to give me time to cool off.

Gaara wrapped his arms around my waist from behind, and put his chin on my shoulder. "So, what are you doing here?"

I leaned into him. "We're traveling until Orochimaru can jump bodies again. Apparently, I'm supposed to be training…but first we're getting you a new Seal. I brought an expert!"

"And how long will you be staying in Suna?" he asked before he kissed my cheek.

"As long as I can; while on this training trip I'm supposed to be going to see some Toads, so I can become a Sage. The Super Pervert, self proclaimed, has been trying to get me to do it for years." I answered as I closed my eyes.

"So, you're free tonight?"

I smiled, "Yeah, what do you have in mind?"

~~Spy's Fight~~

Weeks passed. I spent have the day—while the pervert researched, I mean spied on women—training with Gaara and his Siblings. I fought with Kankuro constantly, more than the others.

"Why?" Temari asked when she realized what I was doing; I knew she was half afraid that Gaara would get jealous.

"Because one of the Akatsuki—the Organization of S Class Missing Ninjas, who are hunting Bijū's—is a puppet user and I want to be able to kill him." I replied as I dodged one of Karasu's poison filled blades and gripped my half sword tighter, channeling Charka through it and as I side-stepped Karasu, I cut his strings and he fell to the ground.

"Damn it, girl! How many times are you going to do that?" Kankuro growled as he reconnected them and sent it after me again.

I laughed at his frustration and substituted myself with a **Chi Bunshin**. I let Kankuro catch me, throw me into Black Ant, and stab me with the various blades that make up Karasu. They saw the blood dripping out of the holes and Temari's eyes went wide.

"Damn it Kankuro!" she cried as she ran to Black Ant. "You went too far, do either of you know Medical Jutsu?"

Kankuro became really pale. "I didn't think she would really let herself be caught." He looked toward his little brother, afraid that Gaara was going to kill him.

Gaara saw the blood, but he didn't get it. He thought it was a **Bunshin**, just like I had used when I used it fighting Neji…but he didn't think it could bleed. My red head was scared to think that I was really inside of Black Ant.

As Temari ripped open Black Ant, she saw my **Bunshin's** body, stabbed through and she cried out in freight. She was going to lose a brother she knew it. Her littlest brother was going to kill her other one.

Kankuro really started sweating. And that was when I struck. My blade was against his neck, right under his chin. He felt the blade just as my **Bunshin** poofed.

I cried out in pain, my sword dropped and I had trouble breathing. "Damn those fucking **Bunshins**," I hissed as I tried to stand, but I fell. Lucky, for me, Gaara paying attention and his Sand caught me.

Temari was really mad at me, and was about to chew me out before I raised a hand to stop her. That hurt more than not moving.

"If you can fool your friends, you can fool your enemies. And damn, I really don't want to be caught in Black Ant for real…I don't want to die. That hurt like a bitch," I hissed more as I tried to move.

"How could you feel that?" Kankuro asked, looking between me and the puppet. "And why did we see blood?"

"It's a solid, blood **Bunshin**; my **Chi Bunshin**. And I'm hurt because **Kage **and** Chi Bunshin** are real **Bunshins**, which means that when they disappear I can feel and know what they feel. Apparently, the real purpose of the **Kage Bunshin** is for spying. If I take one and make the two of you go out into the forest and it disappears, I will know exactly what it did, said, and saw. The only difference between **Chi** and **Kage** is that **Kage** disappears at first hit. **Chi** doesn't; in fact, **Chi** is the only **Bunshin** that I have where one can feel the same pain as the **clone**. "

I close my eyes and try to get my breath back, the pain…I know they see the struggle on my face. After a few minutes, I take on the grin and bear it routine. I stand up, letting the Sand help me.

"One thing I like about **Bunshin**, is that one can't feel the pain that the clones fee; we just feel the knowledge that they gather. But the purpose of this **Bunshin**, is to fool your enemies even longer. Maybe if you need them to interrogate or torture you, this **Bunshin** will take your place. You feel the same pain, but it does not hurt your body." As I stood up, my eyes closed for a few seconds as I truly started to bear it.

"You okay, little kit?" Temari asked me as she walked to me. I nodded; I found it funny that they call me kit. Since they had trouble coming up with a nickname for me, Temari just called me kit. Kankuro likes to call me girl…next time I'm going to make fun of him.

"Well, that's good, let's go eat lunch!" Kankuro suggested shakily.

I shrugged, why not? After we eat, we get back to training until around four in the afternoon. That was when I left them and went to find Ero-Sennin, drag him out of whatever perverted spot he was in, and demand that him train me.

That was my routine, I would wake up—if I could sleep that night—train by myself or with Gaara, since he didn't sleep either, until the other two got up, then I trained with them. Temari taught me things that involved Wind and I taught her how to control it. In a few years, she will become a Wind Mistress, just like me. Our training together ends around three or four and I go off with Jiraiya.

Sometimes we train with Seals or other things, but most of the time we are working on the Seal for Gaara; and it's almost finished. Just a few days more, a week max and it will be done.

That night I was so exhausted, but I couldn't sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I kept on seeing Tsunade, lying on top of me, bleeding out from sword wounds that were my fault.

I stopped, halfway to Gaara and his sibling's house—they had let us stay with them—I couldn't go any further.

I tried throwing it to the back of my mind, but it wasn't working now. What I told Sasuke was true; you couldn't keep blocking things out. I never wanted to deal with what she did. I don't want anyone getting so close to me. Even with Gaara, it was hard sometimes. He understood that, because it's the same with him.

It's a good thing I was on the roof tops, because it would have been awkward to sit down and get in the fettle position in the middle of the street. I rocked back and forth for what seemed like hours. I was so focused on getting rid of the images and feelings that I didn't notice him coming.

"You're lucky that I don't sleep," he whispered softly as he knelt down next to me. "Do you want to go back to the house or stay here?"

I started to uncurl myself; I didn't like being somewhere that I didn't know. Instead of staying on the unknown roof, we sat on his. My red head was leaning up against the wall and I was leaning into his chest. His arms wrapped around my middle. It was kind of a weird position, seeing as I was leaning against him sideways; my knees were on top of each other, but not even. His legs were straight out, leaving a gap so I could lay in between them.

"What happened?"

I took a deep breath and told him. "I've always protected myself; I've always been the one to risk my life even on missions for others. I, basically, throw away my life for nothing." He growled in my ear, and I giggled.

A deadly and fierce Kunoichi giggling? Weird, right? The more time I spend around Gaara, the more I act like a girl in love. Every second we spend in these nights together, or the training we do, that's just the two of us…we learn so much about each other. Yet, there always will be some of those things that we won't tell the other, not until we are ready.

This was one of those things that I didn't think I could or should keep from him.

"It's the truth, sad, but true. I have thrown myself in front of Itachi, twice, to save him from a Chidori. I'm kind of scared of it even. Kakashi had heard some rumors about me and Itachi, and some other things like Itachi murdering his best friend. I wasn't around, and they started fighting. I got there right when Kakashi was shoving a **Chidori** toward Itachi's chest. I stepped in front of him…it went through my chest. Kakashi never used that move near me again, well near Kitsune. I stepped in front of Itachi when Sasuke was about to shove a **Chidori** in him."

Gaara's arms tightened around me. "I stopped in it time, he wasn't as fast as Kakashi. But it scared me; I saw images and feelings of a ball of Lightning Charka in my chest. That was the first time I had been close to dying, the second was what was haunting me before."

I collected myself and started again a few minutes later. "It's foreign for me to think someone would risk their life for me. It's weird to think of someone protecting me. I rarely let anyone in, especially that deep. But she was different. I went with Jiraiya to bring her back, I had two plans. Emotional blackmail or a trick of some sort: the trick was for me to do a half assed job at the **Rasengan** and make a bet with her that I could master it in a week. That all went to hell when she messed me up. She insulted the Hokage name."

I laughed. "It's seems wrong, doesn't it? That I would care for something like that, I mean I hate that Village; I hated the Third and Fourth Hokage; I hated the decisions that they made…yet I was ready to kill her for what she said."

"The position of Kage is important after all. It means that you are the strongest person in that particular Village does it not? I can guess that she had said that those who were Hokage were weak. Did you care for those two Hokage much?" Gaara quietly spoke in my ear as I tried to curl into a smaller ball.

"My father was the Fourth Hokage; he sacrificed his soul and life, as well as mine, to save that pathetic Village. He gave me up; he condemned me to be used as a pawn, a tool, a weapon, a thing. The Third Hokage made me into those things. But to me, if you are the strongest in the Village, how can you be weak? If you can make those hard, soul splitting, decisions and still go on and make more, as well as protect the Village, how can you be weak?"

I shook my head at my words, it seemed impossible. A Hokage couldn't be weak.

"She asked me different questions, why I cared, and I ended up telling her why I hated the Village, but why I couldn't ever destroy it. I told her why I had to protect it and do my duty, just like a Shinobi. I was born and bred one. Yet, I broke down, I cried. I spilled my inner most thoughts and emotions to her. Then she hugged me, like a mother. I've never had one, was that how a mother was supposed to be like?"

The red head holding me let my question slide; we both didn't know the touch or warmth of a mother.

_**I'm sorry kit, I really am. If I could go back in time…**_

_No! Don't you dare talk about stuff like that! I won't allow it. Don't start giving me hope when we both know nothing like that could happen. Enough! What's done is done, leave it alone and let me wallow in sorrow and agony,_

I felt him fade back. Most of the time he didn't talk to me because he knew it would make things worse. What if I became too dependent on him? We could only guess what would happen after we finally merged. My dad wanted him to be completely gone, but we knew that wasn't going to happen…or we hoped so.

"I had that week, after we made the bet. I bet her that I could betray my Village, spectacularly. On that last day, we ended up fighting Orochimaru and Kabuto. Tsunade didn't want to heal his arms, so they started fighting. She had messed with the super pervert's Charka, drugged him the night before. The two male Sannin had handicaps." I closed my eyes and tried to snuggle. The night was getting cold.

That was when I felt Kyūbi heating me up. I knew Gaara felt it too.

_Thanks._

"I ended up facing Kabuto. This body…I will never fully function with it. I can only wait till I fully grow up and then I will be fighting on the level near Sannin. After my training with the pervert I will be Sannin level; and if that snake bastard isn't dead, I will kill him." I vowed before I continued with the story.

"Kabuto broke a few ribs. They were pressing against my lung and I was having trouble breathing, but I still stood in front of Tsunade, I still protected her with my life. Just like I have always done; I've always thrown myself in between death and life for my comrades. I tried to use a **Rasengan** on him, but he moved, cut a tendon or two in my left foot while punching me the chest. More ribs broken, two or so were stabbing my lung."

I shuddered when I remembered the pain. Gaara pulled me closer to him; reminding me he was still there.

How was it that I could face death and not flinch, but once I'm in his arms I shudder at pain? I guess I let that façade that I have up to protect from things like that around him. In battle, my life depends on that mask, but with Gaara…my life depends on _dropping_ it.

"I fall, but get back up when he charges her with a kunai. I catch his fist, it stabs through my hand; but I hold him there with a Charka enhanced fist. I then shove a not fucked up **Rasengan** in his chest. My elbow was where his heart used to have been." I gave a light laugh at that.

"I collapsed after that, I stopped breathing and my hearts stopped beating. The fox was doing everything he could to keep me standing, he was helping me breath when I actually couldn't. Tsunade healed my ribs a tiny bit before Orochimaru came after me. Kyūbi did the rest after that. But I blacked out."

My breaths started coming in hard and fast; he gave me a light squeeze for support. "I woke up and she was crouched over me, blood dripping down her chest, she had at least two sword wounds from where he stabbed her trying to get to me. She was dying, all because she wanted to protect me." I turned my head to look in his eyes. "Don't you see? No one has ever done that for me before! What am I supposed to do?"

I saw myself through his eyes, I saw my desperation. I didn't know what to do. How was I supposed to react to that? My whole had come crashing down in that moment, everything I had every known was tossed out the window.

"My whole life it had been my job to throw my life away for my duty. As Hokage, I was supposed to die protecting her. As Hokage, she wasn't supposed to almost die protecting me."

He heard what I didn't say, he heard me desperately telling him that the absolute truths that my life had been built on had broken and fallen on top of me.

"Sometimes, the only way to get to the top is to fall."

That was when I heard what he didn't say. Those pillars that I had built up were wrong. They needed to come down before I could go up. They were blocking my way to the top.

I then feel asleep in his arms, not noticing my sensei sitting in the shadows behind us.

~~Spy's Fight~~

Four days later, I had what I was looking for, the missing piece to the Seal, to Gaara's Seal.

It was still hard for him to go to sleep after that, but I stayed up with him, and we often fell asleep together, in each other's arms.

~~Spy's Fight~~

July the following year, in the Sound Village Sasuke received a letter that went with a scroll. The Scroll was for Orochimaru, but the letter was for him.

_Here is a few extra years Avenger, use them well, you won't get a second chance._

It was short and sweet, just how he used and liked his words. Though, usually an hn would do. Sometimes he almost missed Naruto; she was the only one, besides Itachi, that could understand him. It was dubbed, by Naruto, Uchiha language.

Sasuke walked through the underground hide out and quickly found Orochimaru. Naruto was right, when he came here a year and eight months ago, the snake bastard was upset. And any time someone mentioned foxes or blonde hair or anything that reminded Orochimaru of her, that person wished they were dead.

"Ku, ku, ku, what is this, Sasuke-kun? Come to see me yourself?"

Sasuke just grunted and tossed the scroll at his teacher. He watched the old man read and reread the scroll, his eyes getting wide.

"Who knows such details about my **Transfer Jutsu**?" Orochimaru softly wondered aloud. "No matter, this seems to be perfect. A few tests and it will confirm…"

Within a few days of tests, Orochimaru had extended his **Transfer Jutsu** from two and half years, to more than double that. The Jutsu would now last five years. Now he had more time to make Sasuke the perfect vessel.

~~Spy's Fight~~

On Temari's birthday, I did a little tweaking on her Fan. I made it where she could really shove Charka through it, but I made it silent with no glow. Most weapons that you combine with Charka tend to have two effects. One was a glow of some sort, and the second was noise. Like with the **Chidori**, the Lightning Charka crackled.

I also put a few Seals on it; one was where she could make it invisible and visible, kind of like my swords. I also put one on there where it would only accept the touch of who she allowed.

So now, no one could steal it in a fight and use it against her.

Kankuro was a little upset; he said that I didn't get him anything that good. But I did add Seals to his puppets; I made the blades on Karasu unable to break. He could also pour Charka into them. What else did I do? I made both puppets unbreakable…I think. It all depends on how they choose to break it though. Those Seals strengthen the puppet's physical and Chakra attributes.

On Gaara's birthday, I put various Seals on his gourd. To adjust the weight (to him it would weight nothing, but to others heavier than they can lift), invisibility, Charka enchantments, the basics. We also had a good make out session.

I remembered when I first came to Suna at the end of November. Time flew by, first Gaara's birthday in January; then Kankuro's came in May, and then Temari's in August. Of course, they didn't know when my birthday was and I never told them. It was only when Gaara's birthday came around again that they asked. I told them that it was over.

The second year I taught Gaara had to do a few different kind of **Bunshin**. I started with **Katai**, then the **Chi Bunshin**. It was a **Blood Bunshin**. With the **Katai Bunshin** one could tell if they knew where and how to look to see if it was a **Bunshin**, but with the **Chi Bunshin** you couldn't tell. And it took way more hits than **Katai**; but unlike the **Katai Bunshin** you felt the pain that was inflicted on the **Bunshin**, your real body mirrored them. I also taught him other techniques to go with them: how to communicate through your mind, see through their eyes, stuff like that.

That second year was fun, for five months I was happy, until Jiraiya told me that a week or so after Kankuro's birthday we would be leaving.

That year I got Kankuro special wood to build his own puppets. There was a piece of paper that, if you channeled Charka through it, it would tell you your affinity by burning, splitting, crumbling, soaking. Instead of making the paper, I just got the wood and gave it to him. I told him to make puppets better than Sasori ever could.

I really didn't want to tell him that Sasori was the one in Akatsuki; I didn't want to hurt him. It seemed that spending two and half years with them made me close to them. I realized that after that night with Gaara talking about my 'broken pillars,' I built new ones; ones that involved my…family. They were truly my family. Not like Ibiki, Anko, Sarutobi, or anyone other than Itachi, Tsunade, or Jiraiya.

I didn't tell them until the actual night before. I didn't want to leave because I was happy for once in my life. I felt like I belonged.

And Gaara…he had been amazing. He was so patient with me, even though neither of us knew how to do anything. And I told him so. My red head love just laughed at me.

"It's not like you haven't done it for me. How many times have I've been the one talking during our late night cuddle on the roof?"

The Sand user had me there.

I stood on the edge of the roof and closed my eyes, waiting for the breeze to take me. I waited, a few seconds passed until it found and wrapped me up inside of it. Just like Gaara did a few seconds later.

I had forgotten that he was a Wind user as well. I found out after he picked up one of my Wind blades that were _very_ picky. I had let Temari use it sometimes, but it didn't like her as much as it liked me. It fought her sometimes…that was why Gaara had it. We were in a middle of a four way battle, girls against guys.

When I saw him pick that up, I was scared. Wind's bitter enemy was Earth, like Fire was Water's. I had let Kankuro pick it up once and he never touched one of my things again.

I ran, full speed at him to tried to get the blade from him…but I stopped when he used it against me. I ended up getting cut really bad, something he felt bad for. We laughed about it later.

I leaned my head against his chest. My red head grew again. He was now as tall as Kitsune, and I knew he was going to get taller.

"Gaara, I've been thinking about our promise."

His grip tightened on me, we hadn't talked about this in forever. I stopped when I started to see how different his Village started looking at him.

"What is it, love?" when he spoke in my ear it made me shiver. He always knew what to do to get under my skin.

"What better way to break free from being a tool, the not stop other tools from being made?" I left the question out there for a few minutes before I continued on. "I've been thinking about it since Tsunade asked me if I wanted to be Hokage."

Gaara was just silent and held onto me; one of the things I loved about him was that he would let me finish talking and then comment.

"Maybe, that is the best revenge. To show those idiots that we are no longer theirs to control; that we are our own persons, not the demon sealed inside of us."

We just let the Wind soothe us; silence greeted us other than the sound of our beloved Wind. We had only hours left together before I had to leave. We didn't know when we would see each other again.

~~Spy's Fight~~

Senjutsu was a bitch to learn.

Training with those Toads was hard; I struggled for the first time in my life. It wasn't that hard to learn how to access the Nature Charka or anything like that, it was hard to _apply_ it.

I spent maybe a few days' tops accessing the Nature Charka; I spent a two years learning to use the damn thing.

It took me five months to perfect Senjutsu in battle, which meant moving. I did it by using **Katai Bunshin**; I found out, accidently one day, that **Katai** can absorb double the amount of Nature Charka than **Kage Bunshin**.

I expanded my family to Toads.

Yeah, you heard right. I went from my love's family—humans I assure you—to Toads. Toads that make it their life's mission to make mine hell.

I have so much blackmail material on Jiraiya now, it wasn't funny. At first, he had fun with showing me just how much the Toads love him more than me. He had them train me so hard; it takes my breath away just _thinking_ about it.

Every time I teased him, bamm! More training, ooh he regrets it though. I almost died—not really, he thinks I did, but the truth was I wasn't—and I won't ever let him live it down.

It was halfway through my training and I mentioned something to Mama Shima about him being a big pervert and when I was little he would drag me off to use me as bait. She turned him into a Toad, while I laughed my ass off and had fun with Gamakichi and Gamatatsu, sons of Gamabunta.

Of course, afterward I got punishment and when I say punishment, I mean hard ass kicking punishment.

Besides the **Summoning,** Combat and Sage training, the Toad's helped me with the Kyūbi's transformations and fully controlling his Charka.

I was so scared when I got past four tails. I ended up almost killing Jiraiya, if it hadn't been for the Toads, Mama Shima and Papa Fukasaku—with that damn stick of his—I would have done something I would regret greatly.

Of course, after that I got to see the Great Toad Sage. I then found out something I never wanted to find out: the world rested on my shoulders or a lunatic's. That was what's called pressure. My teachers had never put any kind of pressure on me, knowing I would do it myself. But this, this was the first time I ever felt the need to fulfill what my teacher wanted me to. The prophecy scared me, I won't lie. But at least I have my family behind me.

_To be continued…._

**Chidori: **Kakashi's signature Jutsu, it's a lightening attack; user literally holds it in their hand. User does have to run in a straight line though.

**Rasengan**: Spiraling Sphere. A concentrated swirling of charka in the palm of one's hand; it is the parent Jutsu for the Chidori.

**Katai Bunshin no Jutsu: **Solid Clone. This Clone is like the Kage Bunshin in the effect that it is solid, but this clone can actually take hits depending on how much chakra is put into it.

**Chi Bunshin: **Blood Clone. There is no way to tell that this is a clone. It takes more hits than a Katai Bunshin, and unlike the Katai Bunshin where you don't feel the pain the Bunshin felt, this one you do.

Senjutsu: Sage Techniques. It allows the user to gather Nature Charka and be enhanced, hearing, seeing, touching, strength, speed, etc. It leads to Sage Mode, which are just amplified powers of Senjutsu.

Sage Mode: when user gathers enough Nature Charka, the empowered state is Sage Mode. The pigment around the eyes is orange and the eyes become Toad like. It also has amplified powers of Senjutsu. Once user gets out of Sage Mode, the user experiences extreme exhaustion.

Bunshin: Clone


	4. Chapter 4

**MOON SAYS: **So, here is chapter 4. Enjoy!

**Pages: **27

**Words:** 11, 119

**Edited: **16 May 2013

**Published: **7 June 2009 (has it really been this long?)

Notes:

_Thinking_

**Jutsu**

_Naruto thinking_

**_Kyūbi __thinking_**

**_Shukaku "talking" thinking_**

**Summonings**

**~~Spy's Fight~~**

**Chapter 4**

You wouldn't believe two things.

One, how close the Toad place, Myobokuzan, is to Konoha. There is this portal pond thingy, that lets the Toads go to and from Konoha without being summoned. There's also this path, secret of course, that takes about month to get from Konoha to Myobokuzan. That was how Jiraiya got to the Toad's haven. Me? I was just reversed summoned. Yeah, they can do that; I was surprised.

Two: I actually longed, truly _longed_ to be back in Konoha. Yeah, at first I thought Hell had frozen over...but it didn't. Why? I was tired of the torture. Every time I turned around Jiraiya was getting vengeance for something I had done. Half of the things he said I did, I don't really remember. Apparently, I kicked him off a cliff one time. Another thing I did was that I called him a pervert and then kicked him into the bathhouses. Right into the water with the naked ladies, course he said that he loved about five seconds of that, until they started to attack him. He even said I kicked him in the men's…the one that held such horror that he blacked out after mentioning it. Then he got revenge because he wrote a note to himself to get revenge on me, after I suppressed the memory for him. I didn't want to find out what it was, if Jiraiya, a Sannin, Sennin, and super pervert, was scarred for life.

So, yeah, long story short, I was tired of being tortured.

Before I jumped through the portal thingy, I rubbed my hands together and gave Ero-Sennin a smirk worthy of an Uchiha. It said 'payback is a bitch.'

He gulped and I jumped. Next thing I knew, I was on my butt in front of Tsunade's desk. I got up, dusted off my booty, and found she was sleeping on her desk. Her head was lying down next to a note, written by the pervert; it said we would be in today, but it didn't say a time. I smiled softly.

Ever since my talk with Gaara about my pillars, I could think about her without breaking down. I had, since then, come to terms with it. She was family and now I accepted that I could have one; that I deserved one.

I tapped her shoulder gently and ducked when her fist came out of nowhere.

"You know, I don't that's labeled as a proper greeting. Unless you're Ero-Sennin, respectively, but I'm not an old man who is a self proclaimed super pervert, who also likes to torture his student." I told her dryly.

The blonde Hokage blinked a few times, as she comprehended my words. "He did what?" she hissed, her hands tightening into fists.

I smirked. "Oh yes, baa-chan, he got me back by having the Toad's torture me—through training of course. Is it legal to torture a student, with the torture disguised as training? Because he was doing a lot of that; he even told me why! He said it was because I got him beat up, and in reply I told on him that all his reasons were those a petty child would use." I said with a thoughtful look on my face; but inside I was laughing my ass off!

It was more satisfying when he came in and didn't know what I had done.

"Ah, beautiful Tsunade-hime, it has been to long since I have—" his voice went from a pleasant tone to a scream in pain. Music to my ears.

After a few minutes of beating him up, courtesy of Tsunade, I bent down and whispered in his ear, "Payback is a bitch!"

Tsunade and I both had satisfying grins on our faces. She turned toward me and winked. "I missed beating him up."

I nodded. "I missed watching it."

A few laughs later, we got down to business. "So, how was five years away from this hell hole?"

I jumped on the edge of her desk, crossed my legs. "It was fun, at least the first two and half years. I've changed Baa-chan, I've changed." I showed her a true smile and she couldn't help but return it.

"That you have, gaki, that you have. Tell me, how was Suna?" her eyes got that gleam in it. "How was Gaara?"

I blushed, just a little. "That was the best part…that's why I changed. Gaara healed me," I knew I sounded like a love sick girl, but for once, I didn't want to stop it.

My Baa-chan looked happy that I was happy. "You've won our bet over and over, Naru."

"For once, I'm glad I did it. I'm glad that she's dead."

Baa-chan blinked as she tried to realize my meaning. "So, no more Kitsune?"

I smirked, "Oh she's coming back grandma, that she is, but different than before. She's no longer tied down to the Village as she was before. She's free, but not completely. I've figured out how to really win that bet of ours."

Tsunade smirked matched mine. "And what is that?"

"By the Tool making them the tool," I replied and I could feel the excitement come off my skin.

It took her a few seconds before she realized what I was really saying. "So, you want to become Hokage now?"

I nodded. I had it all planned out. I knew that Gaara hated his Village so much that he would never become Kazekage. He had no respect at all for his Village or anyone in it. I may have hated Konoha, but that didn't mean that I didn't respect other Shinobi. Once upon a time Kakashi was one of those people, but…ever since what happened with Itachi…I can't help but seeing how he isn't. Kakashi had let his past completely eat away at who he is. I had held onto him because of my dad, but I knew it was time that I let go.

So, when I became Hokage, I would request a trade of Ninja, Gaara for someone else. Gaara and I would be together then!

"Tell me, Naru, what about your Genin Team? Are you going back to it? Or will you take up your ANBU title once again and leave the land of children forever?" she teased me.

I laughed. "I am no longer a child, if I had ever been one. I now have my body back, Baa-chan."

I saw the recognition in her eyes. Jiraiya must have told her after she found out I was an ANBU. "So, what level are you now?"

I shrugged. "Ero-Sennin told me that I was around Sannin level after I completed my Sage Training. But since Sannin really isn't a level, I'd say I match up there with the rest of you S-Class Shinobi."

Tsunade looked at me proud. "I knew you would get around to following in my footsteps. Just to humor me, why don't you pair back with Team Kakashi for a few days? Since, Naruto Uzumaki is a Genin after all."

I gave her an amused look. "A Sannin/S-Class Level Ninja, working with Genin? That's a laugh. How many of the Rookie Nine are Genin?"

The blonde Hokage smirked. "Only you, the rest are Jōnin or Chūnin."

Silence ensured and I knew what she was waiting for. "And Sakura," I asked. I'd meant it when I said I'd changed. I suddenly felt really tired just thinking about the pink haired Kunoichi. But, I think that if I could learn to love people, I think I can learn to forgive.

"Sakura is Chūnin and she's changed Naru. She's mellowed out, I found out a year or so after you left that the real reason she was so mad at you was because she was jealous. She saw you as someone very powerful and wanted to be like you. She kept on seeing you as out of her range and she did the only thing she knew how: she raged. That doesn't excuse what she did, but it explains it. Think of her like Sasuke, Sasuke wanted to get stronger to kill Itachi, but every time he turned around he was never good enough."

That made more sense then what she said before I had left. I gave my Hokage a nod. "I'll try, but I can't give any guarantees. By the way, I want an up in rank!" I added the last part, as a way to get out of this serious mood that we were in.

She nodded. 'I thought you might."

"I mean, Genin is just pushing it too far." I insisted as I jumped off the desk and started pacing; ignoring the bloody body of my sensei in the corner.

Before Tsunade could reply, Shizune came in. "Tsunade-sama, you have a meeting in two minutes."

I waved to her before went to pick up my bruised and battered sensei, promising to heal him, before I jumped out of the window. I stopped in the middle of the road, looked around, after seeing no one, I knelt down and started to heal him.

"Heehee, this is what you get you perverted bastard. Having those Toad's torture me, please, that was nothing compared to what Tsunade's going to do to you when she hears everything that has happened. Before and after that horrible Sage Training that took two and half years." I cackled evilly before I stopped when someone called my name.

I was only halfway healing the idiot, but I stopped and half turned my body to see behind me.

"Oh, hey lazy bum and Temari Onee-chan," I greet them happily before I stand up and kick the Toad Sage on the ground with a toe.

Shikamaru and Temari were walking side by side, and after seeing this I wiggled my eyebrows. "So….what's this all about?" I winked at them. "A hot date huh? Sorry I interrupted."

Shika just muttered troublesome, and Temari glared. "I'm glad I interrupted since it wasn't a date then!"

"How have you been, troublesome girl? You look good." Shika commented, but I knew he didn't mean it the way it came out.

I had changed. Now my hair wasn't in a pony tail, but free. It also had a streaks of red running through it, courtesy of my almost done merging with Kyūbi—so I had about half blonde and half red now; a true mix of my parents. I wonder what Gaara's will look like? Half red and half blond like mine? The red was coming out because of my mom's hair, she had red…but didn't Gaara's mom have blonde hair? How did he get red hair when neither his mom nor dad had red hair? You know what? I don't want to know.

I was in my Kitsune body, well, naturally this time. I was five foot five inches; hair down past my butt. I had my boots on, the ones that went straight to my knees. I had a really dark, almost red spaghetti strapped shirt that went to my waist. I had on a skort, the shorts were the same color as my shirt, but the skirt part was black. I had a trench coat on, but this one was different. It was red as blood, its red sleeves stopped a few inches above my elbow, and the rest from above to my hand was black. There were black flames at the bottom and I had gloves that were the same color as my shorts and shirt; but it had my mom's symbol in the palm. My dad's symbol, the Namikaze's, was on the back of my shirt, not that you could see it. The symbol was of a few waves of Wind. White of course.

Let's not mention all my curves.

"You know Shika, if we didn't know that I loved Gaara—and that he would kill you for hitting on me—or that you and Temari didn't have anything going on, I would say you were hitting one me. I would probably hit on you back. That is," I grinned, "if we didn't already have someone."

I watched him mutter his word, and Temari hit him on the arm for it. As I watched this, I started to wonder…they both had rejected the idea of them together. Although, I knew for a fact that Temari was crushing on my Shika. Temari was blushing, so I knew that she _wanted_ something, but what about Shika? Shika looked like all this was a bother and he wanted nothing to do with it. Yet, whenever we were together he was always interested. On the other hand, I didn't how I felt about the two of them together anymore. I know I didn't like the fact that she was spending more time with him than I was, after all, wasn't he my best friend, my confident? This confusion was something to consider and think on for another time, right now I _wanted_ to answer him; I wanted to tell my Shika about everything that happened.

"But, all in all, thanks Shika. I feel good." I confirmed, taking a deep breath and kicking Ero-Sennin. "You both look good, though I have to say, Temari, you looked better in your Genin outfit."

My blonde haired sister chuckled, "You aren't the first one to tell me that. And I'm beginning to think so too."

"How have you been Temari? Kankuro? Gaara?" I asked, wanting to know. It had been years since I'd seen them after all.

She smiled. "Kankuro is still working on those puppets, from what I hear, he thinks that making them in human shape will make them stronger." She shrugged. "I don't know anything about puppets, but between me and you, I think he's waiting on you to help him."

I shook my head with a smile on my face. "Yeah, he probably is. From what I hear," my eyes grew dark. "Human puppets are strong; especially if you turn people into them."

Temari narrowed her eyes. "Is that what the puppet master that you were talking about does?"

I nodded. "Speaking of Akatsuki," I saw her quick uneasy glance at Shika. "How is Gaara and the Raccoon?"

Temari seemed unsure as to what to say, or better yet, how to hide it in code.

I waved her off. "Shika knows already," the blonde in front of me blinked. "He knew about me before you did. I think…"

"You still have no luck I see. What is with you and your luck? Having Akatsuki after you does not help your luck, does it, troublesome girl." Shika inquired, as he reminded of conversations we have had in the past, effectively bringing a smile to my face as I remembered.

I shook my head. "But they are in for a big surprise if they try and take us. Anyway, onto a different note, how is being Baa-chan's strategist working for you?" I teased lightly, knowing what he would say.

"Troublesome, I'm not her strategist, that's my dad. I'm just an assistant, as well as teaching."

I blinked. "Like Iruka?" he nodded. "What made you do something really troublesome as that? Who's insane enough to let you teach kids?"

"Tsunade," he mumbled.

I sighed, "I need to find Ibiki and see if he needs to test her." My eyes narrowed after I said the last word; my hand gripped the sword that was invisible on my back. It would have been hard if I had that scroll on my back; but I left it with the Toads. I only use it when I'm in Sage Mode so…I'll have to call the Toad's anyway.

An ANBU appeared behind me; I saw that Shika had stiffened and Temari had her hand on her fan…well, where I knew her fan was.

"Your presence is requested by the Hokage," the bear masked ANBU said.

"Hai, Ino-san. You are dismissed," I confirmed my receiving of the message and he nodded. I waited until he was gone until I let go of my sword.

I saw the questioning looks they gave me and sighed. "Tsunade wants me to get back on Squad Seven."

"Isn't Haruno a Chūnin?" Shika asked as he thought about it.

I smirked. "I'm getting my rank raised! Without taking those stupid tests," I told them with a nod of my head and they gave exasperated sighs.

"I will see you two love birds, later!" I waved goodbye before I disappeared in a whirl of Wind, effectively shoving out all thoughts of Shika and Temari being "love birds."

~~Spy's Fight~~

"I was in the middle of catching up with Onee-chan! What was so important?" I demanded as I enter through the window and to her desk.

"Where's the pervert?" Tsunade asked with a slight smirk on her face.

My mind went blank for a second. "I think I left him unconscious in the middle of the street." I answered her while rubbing my neck.

She seemed surprised for a second before she shrugged. "Was that enough for torture you say?"

I nodded, "He'll get what else is coming to him later."

"Tsunade-hime!" a voice whined from the window. "That was too cruel! Beating me up and then leaving me in the middle of the street!"

We both turn and see Ero-Sennin, and then we turn to each other and have a conversation with just our eyes. We decide not to tell him that I healed him halfway and left him there.

"Your ass fell out the window," she informed him straight up. The white head ninja seemed to frown for a second, before sighing. "that is what you get for coming through the window and torturing a precious student in your care!"

"I can't believe you would toss me away just like my love."

"Keep talking, pervert, if you want to get silenced."

He shut up.

Tsunade turned to me. "So, what rank did you want?"

"ANBU?" she shook her head, amused.

"Hunter?" she laughed outright.

"Jōnin?" she considered it.

"If you take the bell test again with Sakura, depending on what Kakashi says about your skill and what I see, I will either give you Chūnin or Jōnin."

"If I really keep my secrets can I get Jōnin?" I sighed. "After everything I've been through, and considering my true skill, I refuse to become a Chūnin. If you do that, I'll stick to ANBU thank you very much!"

Tsunade smiled and nodded. "If you really entertain me, then yes, I will give you that rank."

I smirked; I knew just what to do. "Time Limit?"

"Noon," a male voice from the doorway inserted.

I turned to see Kakashi in the doorway. He looked just the same, except I could see real sadness in his eyes.

"Did I go too far Kakashi? Five years without Icha Icha?"

The silver headed Jōnin sniffed and nodded.

I smiled, "How about I make it up to you? With this," I pulled a book out of the bag I put in the corner; it was an orange book.

Kakashi's eyes brightened and he was on me in a second, giving me a puppy dog eye.

I could see Tsunade rolling her eyes, and I saw Jiraiya look between me and her, his expression growing horrified. I smirked at him, he cringed. He was afraid I was going to tell her that I wrote the book.

I give it to Kakashi and he screamed like a fan girl. "A brand new series," he opened it and started to try and read it, but Tsunade threatened to burn it if he didn't go and test us. "There was almost a yaoi series, Ero-Sennin just wasn't sure how to go about it."

~~Spy's Fight~~

I stood side by side with Sakura as we faced off with Kakashi.

"So tell me," I started casually, before Kakashi said go. "How much Medical Jutsu do you know?"

"More than you, I would assume," she shrugged. "Hinata was Tsunade's apprentice, and Ino was off and on, but they taught me on the side…as well as some other Medic staff. Even if Tsunade-sama didn't teach me personally, I am still the third ranked Healer in the Hospital."

I raised an eyebrow, "What about Hinata?"

"She's pretty good, but she still lacks some confidence. For the last year or so, I've been helping her personally on that."

"Genjutsu?"

"Kurenai-sensei was very helpful."

"Strength?"

"You'll find out," she smirked and I knew she had been reading in restricted files. That or Tsunade had given up the goods.

Then Kakashi told us to go. I ran forward and started a Taijutsu match with him, using only Genin level strength. The fool took the book out.

"You're reading because?" I asked as I jumped back and let a few **Bunshin** take care of him.

"Because you're playing with me," Kakashi replied as he destroyed them all.

_Chūnin level then,_ I thought before I started with Ninjutsu.

"**Doton: Ken Katta no Jutsu.**"

I slammed my hands down into the ground and swords made out of Earth sprang up and started trying to stab at Kakashi. No matter where he landed in front of me, he would soon be stabbed.

He figured out that the technique was limited by my sight. The silver haired Jōnin jumped behind me only to jump away again because Sakura launched herself at him. Her fist hit the ground and a crater about five feet formed.

I switched with one of my clones and let it get caught in the blast of her fist. After, I was in a tree, watching Sakura and Kakashi go at it. In two minutes, she came back to me and was out of breath. I whispered in her ear a new plan.

I launched more **Bunshin**; he quickly found out that they were all **Kage Bunshin**. Soon there were four left: two Sakura's and two of me. He grabbed one of the Sakura's and threw into one of me. He then kicked the last me, which had been switched with a **Katai Bunshin**, and it flew back about ten feet.

Kakashi grabbed a kunai and attacked the Sakura; he made a stab at her, and got electrocuted.

I jumped down and took the place of my **Katai Bunshin**.

"Metal and Lightning don't go together, surely you know this Kakashi?" I asked as I knelt down next to his twitching body. "You just got served by a **Raiton: Kage Bunshin**."

"And you let down your guard," Kakashi muttered as a **Kage Bunshin** appeared behind me.

Sakura kicked its ass.

I turned back to Kakashi. "You have two options. Either give me the bells, or make me do something that will have Tsunade kicking your ass and beating you within an inch of your life…just ask Ero-Sennin over there how much it hurts! The only time he almost died in his whole life was…" I trailed off, trying to remember what he had told me.

"I almost died because Tsunade-hime beat me up so bad!" Jiraiya tried to pay the poor innocent victim.

Tsunade waved her fist at him. "It was because you were peeping in the bath houses!"

I hit my right fist in my left palm. "I remember! Tsunade was in the bath houses and she kicked his ass!" I looked down at Kakashi. "Either give me the bells or Tsunade will kill both you and Ero-Sennin!"

Kakashi was done twitching now and rolled away from me. After he rolled clear of me, he jumped up and went into a defensive position. "Not a chance, Naruto."

He also moved up his hitai-ate and showed the Sharingan.

I chuckled, "Plan B then, tell me Kakashi do you want to know what happens at the end of that book? Because I will tell you," he covered his ears, "And with your Sharingan you can read my lips can't you?"

Tsunade laughed as she watched Kakashi close his eyes. As she laughed, I knew I won the bet, now I was a Jōnin! Sakura grabbed the bells and was back in position before Kakashi opened his right eye. The one without the Sharingan.

I was about to attack him, when I heard it. I heard the cry of the bird, the bird cry that only I could hear… those who had Demon's sealed inside of them. Or those who had a Jutsu performed on them, no one in the Village had that. The closest person who could hear it was Gaara or another Jinchūriki.

I only associated with that sound when my spy sent me a message. I completely froze, fear etched onto my face.

Itachi wouldn't send me a message in broad daylight, not one that wasn't planned. What was going on? Had he been found out?

I turned around so quickly, my head snapped. My body then turned every which way trying to locate the bird, finally I saw it.

It was coming right to me.

My body started shaking; now I knew something was really wrong. Not only would Itachi never send me something without a planned meeting, he wouldn't send it straight to me.

"Naru? What's wrong?" Tsunade asked as she walked toward me.

Before anyone knew what I was happening, I jumped into the air and grabbed the scroll the bird dropped.

I was now facing them, my hands shook so badly. I opened the scroll and my heart shattered.

_Puppet and Clay are going after Raccoon NOW! By the time you get this they will be fighting or he has been captured. They are going to a cavern in the River._

I dropped it first, my eyes went lifeless. It was consumed by black fire, but no one was paying attention to it, only me. I closed my eyes and fell to my knees. My hands found its way to my sides; my breathing wasn't helping either.

Tsunade ran over to me, knelt down next to me, and her hands found purchase on my shoulders.

"What happened?"

Jiraiya's eyes narrowed, he knew that bird. I had to leave a few times because of a sound only I heard. That would explain how I was acting moments before I read the scroll. He knew all about Itachi, seeing as Itachi was his spy as well.

I saw what happened next, but didn't comprehend it until it affected me. Jiraiya told Tsunade to move and she did. He knelt down in front of me and was ready to touch my shoulder.

**"Raiton: Shingai no Jutsu."**

I got shocked by a Lightning Jutsu. In response, my right hand shot out and started choking him, and since I was being shocked he was getting shocked too. My grip tightened until I had my senses back. Jiraiya was just staring at me calmly. It wasn't the first time my instincts had taken over and I started to kill him. One time he tried to wake me up and was rewarded with me stabbing him.

I let go of him so I could try and get my breathing under control. It took a few minutes, but I started to breathe right again. Once I could, I went into ANBU mode. My emotions were gone, cleared out; if I had them, I was going to freak out.

I knew that was going to happen when I decided to let myself to learn to feel them. But I wanted to take the risk, right now, though, was not the time for them.

My eyes connected with Jiraiya's. "They moved, they struck, and right now they could be getting away with my Raccoon."

His eyes widened. Now he understood my negative reaction to the news. "You need to leave, like two hours ago."

I knew what he was saying, he was telling me to become Kitsune and go after them. I looked over at Tsunade and she at least understood that I was contacting a spy. When she heard 'my Raccoon' she knew I was talking about Gaara. And if something had taken him, it had to be Akatsuki.

My eyes were asking her permission to go as Kitsune. "Send a **Summon** to Suna and find out what happened, by the time you get to the border you will have your answer."

I nodded and flashed through hand signs, quicker than I should have been able to. I bit my thumb and pushed Kyūbi's Charka though my right hand and slammed it down onto the ground in front of me.

"What do you want, brat? I was sleep…" the fox that appeared in front of me started, but once he saw the expression and feeling coming from off me he stopped.

"What do you want me to do, Kit-sama?" his voice was all business.

"I summoned you because you are the fasted Fox I have. Go to Suna and find out if they have taken Gaara; return to me before I hit the border. Dismissed!" I ordered quickly as I reached behind me to grab my bag, only to realize it wasn't there.

"Fuck!" I cursed; I knew I should have kept those scrolls on me.

Jiraiya gave me a dry grin and handed my bag to me. "I figured you might want to use some of those toys against him."

I nodded. "I would have too, if I wasn't interrupted." I turned to Tsunade. "I'm leaving right now. Has Temari left the Village yet?"

Tsunade nodded quickly. "She left maybe twenty minutes ago. She's probably gotten as far as that shop ten miles down the road."

I took her words in and nodded. "That means it will take me maybe five minutes or less getting there if I hurry."

Sakura looked between me and Tsunade. "What's going on? Is G-ga-ara okay?" she stuttered his name; it seemed she was still afraid of him.

Tsunade looked thoughtful for a second, and something clicked in her mind. "Team Kakashi you have a mission." I cried out in outrage, but she raised a hand to silence me. "You will go rescue Gaara from Akatsuki."

I put my foot down, literally. "No! I will not let them become involved. This has nothing to do with them!" I growled at her.

"I agree with her Naru," Jiraiya said, and paused after I showed him a look of betrayal. "She's right, you need back up. What if someone is hurt? You know what Akatsuki can do. Who said that they haven't done something to the whole Village?"

I settled down then, only I understood what he was saying. I would leave them for the Village and I would go after Gaara and his kidnappers…was he kidnapped, since he wasn't a kid?

I threw it out of my mind, useless thoughts.

_Kyūbi, once we get to the border I want you tracking Shukaku._

**_Done, just kill the bastards who think they can touch us Bijū. _**

_Already done, they signed their death warrant the moment they agreed to go after Gaara and Shukaku._

"Fine, but we are leaving now!" I saw Sakura protest, but I shut her up. "No, whatever you think need, you don't need. We have no time to waste."

Tsunade sighed. "Naru, if she is going to heal whoever got hurt in the attempt to capture him, she will need supplies to heal them."

I quickly think of something. "Shizune," I turned to the woman standing next to Tsunade. "Do you have that kit that you always carry on you? That scroll?"

She nodded, fished it out and tossed it to me. I held it for a second, weighing it and nodded. This one was it.

I tossed it to Sakura. "That is your Medical Kit; it has everything a Medic will ever need. I helped Shizune and Tsunade put it together. Now, let's go, if you fall behind I'm leaving you."

I turned away from them, slugged the bag on my back, and ran toward the Konoha Gates. They followed behind pretty good, I was using high Jōnin, low ANBU level speed. In three minutes, we got to the shop that Tsunade was talking about. We got there just in time. Temari was putting on her shoes.

She saw me and was about to say something when she noticed the clear serious look on my face.

"What happened?" her voice serious.

"Akatsuki has Gaara; we have to leave now." I confessed and she nodded, seconds later we were off.

"You know," I started, couldn't resist teasing her, "That outfit sucks to run in."

Temari growled at me. "Fine I get it! I will stop wearing the damn thing."

"What if we got in a battle?" I continued on, as if I didn't hear her.

The older blonde growled more and made a swipe for my head. I chuckled as she missed. I turned around and started running backwards.

"Was that supposed to hit me?" I wondered out loud and she almost roared as she jumped at me.

Kakashi didn't like what we were doing and told us so. "Stop acting like children! I know that both of you are stressed, but acting like that isn't the way to go about it."

Temari and I both glared at him. "Then how the fuck are we supposed to act?" I questioned, and when he didn't answer, I answered for him. "I know! We run faster and brood on the fact that Gaara may be dead now."

I increased my speed and I could hear Temari giving Kakashi hell for what he said and how it caused my reaction. I knew she loved her brother, but she knew that I was having a harder time with this.

Around three we were halfway to the border and Sakura wanted to stop. One look from both Temari and me had her insisting we run faster. Kakashi ordered me to stop around six; we were so close to the border, just fifty more miles, an hour tops.

I whirled around on him. "I told Tsunade not to let you come, but you came anyway. So shut the fuck up and run."

Kakashi growled at me. "Shut the fuck up and run? Who died and put you in charge?"

I laughed bitterly. "I was in charge the moment it was decided that this was a mission."

"You're a Genin, I am a Jōnin, and I believe I trump you. That means I'm in charge and I say we stop."

I shared a look with Temari, she knew that I who I really was. They found out when I had collapsed from training one day. I had exhausted myself and she and Kankuro started asking questions. They couldn't believe that I would collapse after such little strain.

I told them about my body problem; Kankuro had a good laugh, thought I wasn't serious, but when I changed into Kitsune and kicked his ass (after playing around for an hour) he sobered up to the idea I was powerful. Temari just shrugged, she said she knew I was powerful the moment she saw me. Secretly, I knew she liked the idea of a very powerful Kunoichi, like Kitsune, existed.

She shook her head at my unasked question. She didn't want my cover blown, not yet at least. Of course, she wanted everyone to know that her little sister was the great Kitsune, but not now. Now was not the time for ego trips.

"Kakashi, tell me," I said quickly. "How the hell did you think you got punished if you were higher ranked then me?"

I saw Sakura flinch at the reminder of what had happened.

Kakashi looked mad, but I wasn't done. "And since I had a bet with Tsunade, I am now a Jōnin. So if you want to fight for position of leader on this mission, Kakashi, I will fight; and you will lose. You want to know why? Because I have something to loose, a hell of a lot more than you do. Doesn't desperation add power to someone's arsenal?"

Temari sighed, grabbed me and dragged me into the woods.

"Tomorrow morning we will get to the border and you will go after him." Temari commanded as she hugged me. "Rest up tonight, get your strength and Charka back; then go kill those bastards that tried to take Gaara from us."

"Fine, but only for you Onee-chan, only for you," I accepted her hug and her plan.

Kakashi and Sakura came into hearing range as I started my reply. Without even looking at the other two, I reached for my bag, handed it to Temari and rummaged through it, found my gear Scroll. I unrolled it, found what I was looking for and summoned it. I got a tent out, two sleeping bags, and a two bowls full of…food, I think.

"Kankuro," I looked at it and asked Temari.

She sniffed one and nodded, "Kankuro."

We shared a look and smiled. We went inside of our tent ate, after we heard their stomachs.

I peeked out and told them, "You wouldn't want that food anyway. You have to…acquire it. The first ten times I ate it, I threw up. So you're better off with Kakashi's Ninja food. Yes, Sakura, make sure he gives you some, unless of course one of you wants to go hunting."

It was standard procedure for ANBU to carry a scroll with Ninja food in it. It wasn't preferred, but when you had nothing else to it, it was good. ANBU survived on that stuff during some types of missions.

After that, I went back in and then went off to sleep.

In the morning, I had them all up, and in thirty minutes we were on our way to the border. In two hours, we got there and my Fox was waiting for me.

"Yoruichi, report," I commanded in a direct tone.

"Hai, Kit-sama," he bowed to me. "Gaara, the male with red hair and a tattoo on his forehead is gone. The Village is in an uproar. Apparently, his brother went after him and he is now dying of poison."

Temari and I both gasped. "Kankuro!"

Temari looks at me, fear clearly evident in her eyes. "Kill those bastards and bring him back!"

All I could do was nod, and I focused on Kakashi. He looked like he was about to forbid from leaving. "Sakura, Kakashi, go with Temari, protect her and save Kankuro or his death will be on your heads." I warned; I promised them death in my voice.

Then I was gone. I trusted Temari to make sure that they didn't go anywhere other than the Village Hidden in the Sand.

I ran with everything I had. I even shoved emotion filled Chakra into my legs and feet. I was careful to not over do it. I still had to fight with at least two Akatsuki members. It wasn't until after noon that I got into the Land of Rivers.

_Where is he Kyūbi?_

**_Go northeast; the location is near the mountains._**

_Got it, monitor my Charka, I don't want anything less than then ninety percent before I get there. I have a fight to win._

I didn't hear from Kyūbi, except occasionally him telling me to a certain direction.

By five in the afternoon, according to the sun in the sky, I got a cavern, one that screamed Charka. I noticed the Seal on the boulder covering the entrance.

Damn! I didn't know the password. This was going to slow me down, but not for long. I took out a scroll, the one with my ANBU equipment, and changed into Kitsune. I did the usual except now I didn't have to change my body, thank God.

I had to be careful, this was Akatsuki I was dealing with. I looked up and down the cavern wall. I could destroy the boulder by shattering it, but I didn't want to warn them that I was out here.

**_An earthquake would work, Kit._**

_An earthquake, eh, I think I like that idea._

An earthquake, I knew what to do. I loaded Charka into my fist and started punching randomly on the cavern boulder and wall. This wasn't an ordinary Charka loaded punch like Sakura's; no this was a bomb Charka punch. If it was the former, it would have shattered by now.

The last punch landed on the Seal. Quickly, I crouched down on the ground. I poured Kyūbi Charka into my hands and whispered my Jutsu.

**"Kyūbi: Jishin Hou no Jutsu."**

I didn't use much Charka; I didn't want the whole effect. I mean, if I wanted a Kyūbi earthquake, I would have used a few tails. No, I just wanted it to _feel_ like one.

~~Spy's Fight~~

"What the fuck?" Kisame shouted as the statue started shaking.

"Is that an earthquake?" Itachi asked, his eyes focused on the door.

"Who the hell picked this place? Did you know that there were earthquakes in the weather forecast?" Hidan sarcastically asked.

"Is it an earthquake or is it bomb?" Sasori asked as he turned to Deidara.

Deidara thought about it, at first it sounded like a bomb, but that last part wasn't one. The blonde just figured that the first ones were trimmers. "Yeah, it's an earthquake, I know bombs un!"

"Stop getting distracted, carry on." Pein demanded.

"Hai, Leader-sama," everyone said as one.

~~Spy's Fight~~

I smirked as no one came out. So, my plan was going perfectly. Now came the final part.

"Boom," I said softly and the entire wall of the cavern blew up.

~~Spy's Fight~~

"Now, that's a bomb, un!" Deidara pointed out unnecessary and earned a few 'No shit Sherlock' glares; course there were a few who said it.

~~Spy's Fight~~

As the smoke consumed the area, I quickly ran inside. I channeled Kyūbi Charka into my eyes, making sure I could see through the smoke.

I quickly found Gaara, he was lying on the floor, and some weird Charka surrounded him, as if it was searching him for something. I ran to him, grabbed him, and held him in my arms. I tried to see if there was any damage, but besides from Charka exhaustion and a few wounds, there was nothing wrong with him. I breathed a sigh of relief.

I gathered Charka into my hands and started to heal him, by the time I was done, I heard a voice that I knew oh so well.

"Well, it seems that we have a guest."

I looked up just in time to see the dust and smoke clear. There in front of me was a huge ass statue, it looked like a demon. And it had nine _closed_ eyes. There were two giant hands, the one left of me was the right hand, and the one right of me was the left hand. There was only eight people though, where was the, ah, it hit me then. The first position, the pinky on the left hand was Orochimaru's spot. But what was this statue?

**_It was invented to capture the Bijū. Each eye for one of us; seeing as none of them are open, I would assume they have to go in order. One Tail, Two Tail, Three Tail, all the way up to me. _**

_That's great, now they can't Seal any of the others. We beat them Kyūbi._

**_Don't celebrate too soon Kit, they aren't just collecting the Bijū. They have to be doing something else._**

_Hai, Kyūbi**.**_

"What do we have here? An ANBU, by the look of your mask," A shadow on the hand to the right of me observed.

**"Kill her! Let me eat her!" **the one closest to me on the hand left of me, the pinky, said.

_"Now, now, we don't even know who she is." _the same one spoke again.

**"I don't care, I want to eat her!" **and again.

"Enough!" the one on the far end of the hand left of me said, he was on the thumb. It didn't sound like a yell, but it sure as hell carried the weight of one. "Who are you and what are you doing here?"

"I believe I know the answer to that one, Leader-sama." Itachi said, from the same hand, he was on the finger next to the split personality guy. I think it's called the ring finger…it's between the middle finger and the pinky; sigh. I was never good with fingers, why would I know which one is the ring finger? Did I look like a girl who would have one on her finger?

"And?" Leader asked impatiently.

"She is from my old Village, Konoha: the Village Hidden in the Leaves." Itachi told them. "She was an ANBU on my squad."

I chuckled, interrupting him. "Is that you Itachi? It's kind of hard to see you up there. Has life on the run been treating you well?"

The Uchiha mimicked my chuckle. "Yes it has, how have you been Kitsune?"

I heard a few gasps and I was quite proud of myself. "Been busy, I should kick your ass you know, while I'm here. Do you realize that since you left how many damn missions I have been on? Everyone knew that we were the only competent ANBU."

"Then I have to say I'm sorry, I was busy at the time."

I waved a hand at him, "The past is the past, let it go. So, may I ask what the fuck you are doing with this Jinchūriki?"

Kyūbi snorted in my mind, I laughed, and I know Itachi was in his mind. We all knew I knew what was going on.

"No you may not," Leader told me. "What are you doing here, answer me!"

I sighed. "You got to ruin my reunion didn't you? You must be grumpy. Did someone wake up before you got all of your beauty sleep?" I cheekily asked.

A few members laughed, one even said he liked me.

"I will only ask one more time, what are you doing here?"

"Sheesh, party pooper, I'm here to get Gaara Sabaku." I leaned down and picked him up. "And now I have him, if you will excuse me I shall leave…with him."

Two of the members jumped down from their places on the fingers and blocked my exit.

"We can't let you leave, un!" a blonde haired man said.

"Just put the body down and maybe we will kill you quickly," a big ass puppet offered.

So this is what Itachi meant. The puppet master, Sasori and the clay user, Deidara; they were my opponents.

"If we fight either I killing you both and leave or were all going down together," I threatened; my voice sharper than my swords and as deadly.

"Try it, un!" Deidara dared me.

I smirked behind my mask. "Do you really want to find out why I am the top ANBU of Konoha?"

Silence greeted my words. I decided to taunt them a little. "I don't know why you're stopping me; it's not like either of us are of use to you."

I could feel the Leader's glare. "And why would the Jinchūriki not be of use?"

I smirked again, too bad they couldn't see. "Because he is no longer a Jinchūriki…well, I don't know if he would be classified as one anymore. At most, if you're pushing it a half demon."

"How is he no longer a Jinchūriki?"

Itachi burst out laughing, "You're always one step ahead of me, aren't you Kitsune? You've seen him before haven't you?"

I smiled, "Of course Itachi, how else was I supposed to give him a Seal?"

"Ah, so that's how you did it. You merged them together haven't you? Did you do the same thing that you did for the Ichibi Jinchuriki for the Kyūbi Jinchūriki?"

"I can't ever do something without you figuring it to can I?" I asked bitterly, you could hear it clearly in my voice.

"I know everything that you do, or have been doing since I left. You can't hide from me," Itachi informed me, his voice totally concealing all and any emotion.

I wondered if this was true, or just a part of him keeping his cover.

"When did you fix his Seal?" Leader demanded an answer out of me. "If it was recent we can still get the Ichibi."

"I set the time limit for the merging for three years. It took longer with the Kyūbi, since it has Nine Tails; but with the One Tail it didn't take long. The merger probably took place before the time limit ran out. I fixed his Seal, maybe, four or five years ago." I laid Gaara down on the ground and checked his stomach.

"Wow," was all I said as I checked it again just to make sure.

"What?"

"The Seal managed to complete the merger around a year in a half," just a few months after I left. "I think I outdid myself."

"FUCK!"

Everyone turned to Leader who no one had ever use emotion that strongly. I felt the Killer Intent focused on me; my adrenalin rushing.

"Kill her," he ordered as he disappeared. After he left, the others left as well. Until only me and the ones who kidnapped Gaara were left.

"You know, I though there had to be a reason the thing wasn't working, un," Deidara commented as we started at each other.

I picked Gaara up and jumped back until I hit the wall on the end. I laid him down. Then I called out across the room. "Do you guys want to fight outside or inside?"

"The battle isn't going to last long, so how about we do it here." Sasori said as he started walking (or was he crawling?) toward me.

I shrugged, "But first, could you have enough manners as to face me yourself?"

I saw shock on Deidara's face; I could read it as if he spoke. He didn't know how I knew that Hiruko was a puppet.

I didn't give them time to react; I shoved my fist into Hiruko. Too bad Sasori had good reflexes; all I got was an arm. I jumped back before his stringer got me.

Itachi and his notes only went so far. I didn't know he _hid _inside of a puppet! So I knew I had to kill it get him out.

"So, how about we talk while we fight?" I suggested as I kept on dodging the poison coated stinger.

"Talk about what? Un?" Deidara asked as he leaned against the wall. He was content with just watching us it seemed. That or he had no clay left. I wanted to go toward the former. If that was all a Shinobi had, then he sure as hell didn't run out of it.

"Orochimaru, maybe? I heard he was in Akatsuki before. Why did he leave?" I questioned as I dodged another strike, but couldn't pause as the puppet started shooting out senbon.

_Damn, _I cursed as I did a few sideways flips in the air; my arms crossed over my chest. I jumped back to where we had at least twenty feet between us. Gaara's body was nowhere near us now.

"Why do you want to talk about that snake?" Sasori asked as he shot off his left arm. Ten needles shot in all directions, I almost groaned when one went for Gaara.

I ran through hand signs, this was no time to hide my skills.

**"Dolton: Nankan no Jutsu!"**

The earth around Gaara quickly covered him, protecting him from the poison filled needles.

I glared harshly at Sasori, and then he decided to mock me. "Ah, is the little Fox glaring at me?"

I wanted to attack with no reservations, but I couldn't do that. I would fall into his trap. I was smarter than that.

"Yes, I am glaring at you, dick-head."

Deidara laughed from where he was leaning, Sasori scoffed.

I jumped over the sweeping tail. Instead of just waiting for it to attack again, I grab my sword and cut the end off. I then conjured a **Katai Bunshin** that picked up the tail and attached Charka Strings to it; then my **Bunshin** set it to the giant puppet.

Sasori jumped out of the way, right before he landed I started by next Jutsu, so by the time it took effect, he couldn't move.

"Let's get on with this. **Dolton: Yomi Numa**."

I watched in satisfaction as his puppet was slinking into my swamp. I loved it even more when Sasori's body jumped out and glared at me.

"Now, are you going to tell me about Orochimaru?" I asked sweetly as I lay my right hand on my hip and thrust my left hip out.

"What do you want to know, un?"

"Who was his partner?" I asked before I stopped and stared at Sasori. My hand left my hip and I blinked a few times. He looked just like Gaara.

"What?" Sasori said as he caught me staring.

"Aren't you a little young?"

He laughed. "I'm thirty five, is that young? How old are you?"

I blinked a few more times. "You don't look thirty five, are you sure you not my age? I'm eighteen."

It was Sasori's turn to stare. "I heard rumors about you, and I've heard them for years. You can't be eighteen, unless…" he trailed off for a second before his eyes lit up. "You were using another body? I guess we do have things in common."

I chuckled. "Well, we both are hot, so, I guess that counts as something."

Sasori smirked, "I know I'm hot, but you? I can't see passed your mask."

"I would take my mask off, but I may end up not killing one of you so…I can't risk my identity. Surely you know this, Sasori, seeing as you were an ANBU at one point and time under the Third Kazekage."

Then the red head did something I didn't think possible, he smiled. "You did your research on me."

I nodded. "I met a puppet user a while back, he seem to know everything there was about his hero. Guess he didn't know about your puppets."

Sasori gave me a considering look. "My puppets? Are you telling me that you know I make human puppets?"

"I've got eyes everywhere. Why do you think I'm asking _you_ about Orochimaru? When I asked the old snake about Akatsuki, he mentioned you. He seemed to think that if he told me information about you then I would go after and kill you. Was there a reason why he hated you, but knew so much about you?" I lied through my teeth, they didn't need to know where I truly got my info.

"He was my partner, before he left." Sasori told me, before he pulled out a scroll and summoned a new Puppet.

"The Third Kazekage," I stated, my eyes narrowing. "His Kekkai Genkai was to control Iron Sand."

"I see you know him," Sasori seemed delighted, if he could be. I was unsure, did he ever blink? There was something fishy about his body.

How could he appear to be that young, if he had in fact left his Village over twenty years ago! He looked to be around that age, and he said he was thirty five. I knew he wasn't doing anything like Orochimaru, but how could he stay so young? Did he leave his village at fifteen? He looks older…damn it! This is too much to think about.

I didn't have time to think before I had to dodge his scythe that came out of his right hand. I jumped to the side a few inches, just so the blade missed me and channeled Wind Charka through my blade. I made it sharp and thin, and I sliced the scythe part off.

I had to find a way to cut the Charka strings. I knew I wasn't ready to fight a Kage, but…technically the puppet wasn't a Kage; it was just controlled by a S Class Missing Ninja that killed the Kage.

Great.

"You keep cutting off my weapons," Sasori pointed out.

"I don't like sharp things coming at me with an intent to kill, maim, or torture." I explained as ready a Jutsu.

**"Katon: Karyu Endan."**

I shot a large Fire blast, so hot that it looked white. I summoned Wind to me quickly after to make it even stronger.

I didn't think that Deidara would dispel my Swamp. I didn't think that Sasori would use Charka Strings for his Hiruko to take the hit.

I thought quickly, but it wasn't fast enough.

**"Satestu Shigure."**

I did the only thing I could've at the time. I summoned a shit load of Wind and created an impregnable barrier around me.

"How?" my enemy questioned in response to my counter method to his Jutsy.

I looked up, my eyes doing more than glaring. "It's called perfect Element manipulation. I can use Wind at will without any hand signs. I created an impregnable barrier."

I flashed through hand signs, bit my thumb and summoned a Toad.

"No talk," I barked at Gamakichi. "Take a clone and have it gather Chakra. I may need it."

I summon a Katai Bunshin and he disappeared. Two seconds later, my clone did as well. I really didn't want to enter Sage Mode. I'd only get one shot at it.

I started to breath heavily then.

"It's seems that I'm getting to you." Sasori observed. "You're body is tiring out."

I calmed down, and started to gather a little of Nature Chakra, just enough for me to dodge the next attack, no more. When I opened my eyes, Sasori had noticed my eyes change color, but he didn't comment.

"Seems like that attack didn't work, guess I'll have to try another," then the bastard shrugged.

**"Satestu Kesshu."**

I didn't like the sound of that.

"Let's see if you can keep that barrier up while dodging my attacks."

I really didn't like the sound of that. I was glad after he said that, that I had gathered a little Nature Charka.

The Iron Sand combined and morphed into two objects; one was a giant triangle, pyramid thing and the other a hammer. And they went after me; I used every ounce of my Nature Charka to dodge them, and it wasn't going to last long.

How was I going to get rid of them? It was sand, so if you wet sand…no, that wouldn't work. This sand was hardened, the hardened sand made those weapons. How to break something hard?

And I sensed it had a magnetic pull. So no metal weapons…an image of Tsunade flashed in my mind, then Sakura earlier yesterday. _I _am a weapon and I am not metal.

I gritted my teeth and channeled Wind Charka in of one my fists, and the other my leg; making the edges sharp and hard. I jumped and kicked the hammer and I twisted around to dodge the point on the pyramid and punched it.

After doing so, I jumped back, breathing very hard. I used up what little Nature Charka I had. Quickly, I tried again, staying still, hoping I gathered just enough.

"Oh, it seems you beat that as well. You're really surprising, you know?"

"Yeah, I usually kill my opponents too fast though for me to surprise them," I chuckled. "I've hadn't had a fight like this since…Itachi first joined my squad. I made him go all out on me. So sorry if I'm not in that good of shape."

_Keep him talking; give you more time to gather Charka._

"Tell me, why did you create human puppets? What was your first one?" I asked, to be honest, I was generally interested. Human puppets, I'm sad to admit, kind of fascinated me.

Sasori chuckled at my curiosity, apparently he could hear it in my voice. "My parents were the first, though they were already dead at the time. Why? I wanted a challenge. Regular puppets were boring to make."

I noticed that he wasn't breathing hard like me. I knew using a Kekkai Genkai tried one out, and he was constantly using Charka to control his puppet. So why wasn't he tiring?

"Now, I'm getting impatient so, let's get this over with. Let's see if you survive this. **Satestu Kaiho**."

I threw my Wind barrier over to Gaara, I didn't like the way all that Iron Sand was becoming one sphere…and I really didn't like the way it was shoot lots of spikes at me.

I used every last bit of my Nature Charka to dodge them, destroying some of them with my Charka enhanced body when needed. Once it stopped, I really had trouble breathing. I couldn't let this go on any longer.

"NOW!" I shouted. I knew the Toads were watching. They send my **Bunshin** a second later, it poofed. I had full powered Nature Chakra. I only had once shot.

**"Futon: Bakuha****Katta no Jutsu."**

All of the Iron Sand Spikes were destroyed instantly and I was in front of the Third Kazekage's puppet in less than a second afterward. I grabbed both of my swords, channeled the most Wind Charka I had ever put into them and slashed and hacked at the puppet.

After a few seconds of that, I jumped back and created a **Rasengan**.

_Add Fire to it!_

**_It's done, Kit; add your Wind as well._**

I slammed my Flamed Wind strengthen Rasengan into the Third Kazekage's puppet body before it fell to pieces, courtesy of my slashing and hacking of it a few seconds ago.

I jumped back again and watched the damage I did unfold. The puppet's body burned, and I felt good. The look on Sasori's face was worth almost dying. Shock, disbelief, and anger filtered his face before he wiped it clean.

I stayed still for a few more moments, trying to extend my Sage Mode by gathering more Charka.

"I seemed to have under estimated you," the red head finally said after a few moments. "I've hadn't used myself since I entered Akatsuki."

His Akatsuki cloak was ripped off and I saw his body: it was a puppet's body. There was a white circle with his name on it where his heart was supposed to be. He had blades coming out of his back, as well as some thick cable cords rolled around his stomach.

_Fuck; how am I coming out of this alive? I'm breathing pretty heavily, most my Charka is gone, as well as the Sage Mode I'm fixing to get out of. If I'm still fighting him when I get out of it, I'm screwed._

"You know, you were much hotter when I didn't see what was under that cloak. I would have gone through life until I croaked not knowing what was under that cloak perfectly happy."

That thick cable cord turned out to be a stinger and he sent it right at me.

**"Hari Jizo."**

My hair surrounded me and hardened into spikes.

"Wow, you really are full of surprises aren't you?" Sasori's voice commented yet again, did I detect some type of positive emotion from him?

When I let the Jutsu go, he sent it at me again; I turned my body to the right, letting it go right past me. I grabbed it, crushed the cord beneath my fingers, pulled on it and twisted my wrist till I had control of it. Then I pulled my arm back, like Tsunade does when is about to hit Jiraiya, and threw it at him. It struck him and nothing happened.

I should have known. There must be a way though, to kill him, but how?

_Kyūbi, where is his Chakra coming from? If he turned himself into a puppet, then how is he living and using Charka?_

**_Give me a minute Kit._**

_I don't have a minute!_

**_It's that talisman on his chest, it is controlling his Charka. It's the puppet's heart, that is what is keeping him alive._**

Of course, that made perfect sense; and I didn't even see it. Now how was I going to stab that damn talisman?

Right after dodging the jets of flame he was sending at me, of course. I couldn't really do Water Jutsu, without Water. I wasn't the Second Hokage, after all. But I did have Wind. Fire can't exist without; it is Fire's greatest ally and greatest enemy.

I summoned all the Wind from the Fire to me and his Flame died.

Now I needed a plan, where was Shika when I needed him? Wait, Shika…Nara, Shadow; that was it. That was my plan.

Sasori was getting upset; mad, angry, frustrated, he was feeling negative something at me. He pulled the stinger out of his body and sent it at me once more.

I create a **Katai Bunshin** and it disappeared and stood right behind him as I let myself get stabbed with the stinger.

"Behind you Sasori-dono," Deidara yelled, but it was too late.

**"Kagemane no Jutsu."**

My **Bunshin** stuck, "Success," it said as it gave me a pointed look.

I nodded and charged up my Sword with what little Charka I had left and ran full speed at Sasori. I stabbed the bastard right through his talisman.

I watched as he died and felt a grim satisfaction.

"I will be dead soon. You wanted to kill Orochimaru, correct?" I nodded. "My spy is supposed to meet me in a few days at Tenchi Bridge in the Village Hidden in Grass."

I didn't even think about that fact that I won, that I was still alive. I turned around and looked straight at Deidara and started for him. But lucky for the both of us, he ran off. I turned back to Sasori's body and found his hand; his Akatsuki ring was on it. I pulled out a scroll, sealed up Sasori's body and the ring in it. I bit my finger and let a drop of blood fall on the scroll and Sealed it. There was no one in the world that shared my blood, so no one could get it open.

I heard some moaning and I ran toward Gaara. I had forgotten he was over there. I dispelled my Wind and my Earth Jutsu. I checked him over; he was fine and I let out a breath I didn't know that I had held. I let myself fall then, right into his arms. My mask fell off as my head moved wrongly.

"Naru? Naru? NARU?" were the last words I heard as I fell into darkness.

_To be continued…_

**Doton: Ken Katta no Jutsu: **Earth Release Sword Cutter. Swords made of Earth will rise from the ground and be shot at the enemy.

**Raiton: Kage Bunshin**: Lightning Release: Shadow Clone: User creates a Kage Bunshin that is made of Lightning Charka. When this Bunshin is destroyed, whatever it is touching gets shocked.

**Raiton: Shingai no Jutsu: **Lightning Release: Shock. It sends a jolt of Lightning Charka from the user to someone else.

**Kyuubi: Jishin Hou no Jutsu: **Kyuubi Release: Earthquake Imitate. The Kyuubi no Kitsune can make earthquakes with its tails. Using this Jutsu, the user, while using a tiny bit of his charka, can create a small earthquake.

**Dolton: Nankan no Jutsu: **Earth Release: Barrier. Using the Earth around the target or user, the user creates a barrier of earth protecting the target or user.

**Dolton: Yomi Numa**: Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld. A swamp appears out of nowhere under the enemy and starts sinking and absorbing the enemy.

**Katon: Karyu Endan: **Fire Release: Dragon Flame Missile. A large shot of flame that is so hot and intense that it looks white.

**Satestu Shigure: **Iron Sand Drizzle. Many particles of Iron Sand are shot around the area. They are fast and it is almost impossible to defend against.

**Satestu Kesshu: **Iron Sand Gathering. It compacts Iron sand until they are hard and large solid objects.

**Satestu Kaiho**: Iron Sand World Order. Iron Sand hardens into Spears and attacks a wide range of area. When it is done, if the enemy dodged, they can't get out, they are trapped.

**Futon: Bakuha**** Katta no Jutsu****: **Wind Release: Blast Cutter. Wind Chakra explodes from the user toward those that surround her. The Wind blasts out of her and cuts those around her to pieces.

**Hari Jizo: **Needle Jizo. The user's hair wraps around them and hardens to spike, protecting them.

**Kagemane no Jutsu: **Shadow Possession. Using shadows, the user can trap their opponents. They can't move, unless they have a strong will power. Whatever the user does, the enemy trapped in the Jutsu does as well.

**Katai Bunshin no Jutsu: **Solid Clone. This Clone is like the Kage Bunshin in the effect that it is solid, but this clone can actually take hits depending on how much chakra is put into it.

Sharingan: Eye dojutsu that only the Uchiha are born with. It can copy any Jutsu, as long it isn't a Kekkai Genkai. It can also sense Charka, and see through Jutsu, and often predict what their Enemy will do. Only ones who have Sharingan are Sasuke, Kakashi (implanted), Itachi, and Madara.


	5. Chapter 5

**MOON SAYS**: This is the final chapter of Spy 2! I hope it was a good ride, and I hope you liked my add ons, I know I like the correction in grammar! There will be a brief part attached to this story as chapter 6, read that if you haven't already. It explains some things; I just wanted to make myself understood why I had change some aspects of Spy 1 and Spy 2. I will add one to the end of Spy 3 as well.

Pages: 27

Words: 10, 587

Edited: 17 May 2013

Published: 7 June 2009 (has it really been this long?)

:::Notes::::

_Thinking_

Jutsu

_Naruto thinking_

_**Kyūbi thinking**_

_**Shukaku "talking" thinking**_

**Summonings**

**~~Spy's Fight~~**

**Chapter 5**

The last feeling I had and the last thing I remembered was his face and happiness; pure happiness that he was alive and okay. I never thought about how I was on my last leg; or that I should have been unconscious. It reminded me of Rock Lee during the Preliminaries when he had been beaten and he was unconscious, but his body was still up and ready to fight. I was running on shrill will power.

I had just killed Sasori, but Deidara was still alive. I started to go after him, but thankfully he ran away. I was lucky that he didn't consider that he could have beaten me if it came down it. Course I would have probably taken him with me. Then I heard Gaara move; how could I have forgotten about him? It was because of him that I had been there fighting and killing Sasori in the first place.

Then I collapsed and he caught me. Considering the tone and emotion running through his voice when he said my name, he was pretty damn worried about me. As I thought about that, it made something in my chest swell; it made me happy.

~~Spy's Fight~~

"Naru. Naru, NARU!"

Gaara couldn't help but feel emotions that threatened to consume him. Fear, guilt, sorrow, anguish, was just a few to name. He knew it was his fault that she was in this state. His mind told him that she was dead; but his heart demanded that she was alive.

There was no way he could live without her now.

_**She's okay kit, but you need to take her to someone who can heal her. Kyūbi is doing everything he can, but he can't heal Charka exhaustion. There is poison running through her, but as I said, Kyūbi is doing something about it. Though I warn you, if you don't get her medical treatment, she will die. Kyūbi is slowing it as best as he can, but this has something missed in it that is repelling him. **_

_Of course, I let my emotions take control of me, forgive me. Can you tell me who she fought or anything to do with the battle? Can you guide me back to Suna?_

_**Of course kit, depending on how fast you run you can get there by morning. No doubt she came with others; you may meet them on the way. I would first hide any trace of her ANBU identity. Run now, but if we get close to others, I will warn you with enough time to change her clothing. She fought against puppets; I heard the name Sasori mentioned, so I assume that it was Sasori of the Red Sand that fought with her. It accounts for the poison that is running through her body.**_

_Hai._

Gaara bent down, grabbed her mask, and put it on her stomach. The red head held her bridal style and ran. He channeled Charka into his legs and feet to make him go fast.

Once he got out of the cave, he noticed that it was night once again.

_Has it only been a few hours since they captured me?_

_**No kit, it has been a day. By the look of the moon, it is passed midnight. Dawn will be approaching in four hours max. From what I could tell, she fought for five hours, and from when I first sensed Kyūbi, she didn't get into the cave until thirty minutes had passed; and she didn't start fighting for another hour and half. And you were stressing for a good hour yourself, until I started speaking.**_

_You're good with time aren't you?_ Gaara though dryly as he came to a forest and jumped on a tree. The young Kazekage thought it would be faster in the trees tops instead of dodging the trunks on the ground.

_**Have you ever heard of the Sands of Time?**_

After that Gaara ignored his Demon resident unless directions were spoken. Dawn had approached before he was even halfway to Suna. Shukaku made him rest for twenty minutes before he was off again. All throughout his running he refused to think about her dying; or anything going wrong.

Whenever he thought about the poison, he just held her closer, whispering to her that everything was going to be alright. He wasn't going to let her go now; and if, no when, she got treated if any damage was done he was going to hunt down everyone of Akatsuki and kill them

_**A worthy plan; if one hurts our mate we kill them. We will see the border in an hour; and I do feel someone in the desert. I would change her appearance now, because if my senses are accurate there will be a sand storm soon, a big one.**_

_Hai._

Gaara tried to remember what she said about her ANBU self, it was after a second of thinking back that he remembered a scroll. One scroll held all her ANBU equipment and when she was in ANBU mode, she put her other clothes and such in that scroll when she changed.

The male Jinchūriki stopped on a branch and set her down, letting her body lean against the trunk. He found a scroll in a pocket of her jacket and opened it. It wasn't the one he wanted; so he searched for another one, he found the right one after looking at three. Quickly, without thinking about her naked body, he changed her from her ANBU clothes to the ones that she wore on her way back to Konoha.

The dark orange shirt, and shorts; the black skirt and blood red jacket that had black flames at the bottom; he noticed as he re-dressed her, the symbols. He recognized the symbol on her glove's palms, but the one on the back of her shirt and jacket he didn't. He had seen the one on the back of her jacket on Jiraiya's headband.

Gaara shrugged, he resolved to ask her about them when she woke up.

He sealed up all her ANBU stuff and her mask away, and put all the scrolls in her new jacket. The red head then picked her up again, bridal style, and started off toward the border between Wind Country and the others.

_**You realize that she is the perfect breeding age? Surely you noticed this as you changed her?**_

Gaara gritted his teeth; he didn't need to be reminded that she was beautiful or that he had hormones. The young man barely noticed the new color in her hair when he changed her. The young Kazekage really didn't need to be reminded that they hadn't had sex yet.

_How many fucking times do I have to tell you never to bring that up? _

_**Just enough so I know you are worthy of her, **_was the reply he got.

That threw Gaara for a loop. Worthy of her? He knew damn well that he wasn't. She was his angel, his salvation, his everything. She was the Light that brought him out of the darkness.

His concentration, thankfully for him, was thrown off when he saw what his Demon was fixing to warn him about.

_**Others are approaching; they have a dog with them. They are tracking someone, wonder who?**_

When the two groups came in sight of each other, ten minutes from the border between desert and forest, two people cried his beloved's name, while one said his.

"Naruto!"

"Kazekage."

Gaara quickly analyzed who had been sent after them. Chiyo, an old, but very powerful puppet master, was the only one from his Village. He noticed that pink haired girl he almost killed during the Chūnin Exams, and her sensei.

_Naru's sensei._

Sakura, at seeing Naruto, went into medic mood. "Give her to me, I can heal her." Then she spoke as if she thought Gaara was going to obey. "Kakashi-sensei hold her so I can do a diagnostic check. You know how she is when people touch her."

Kakashi moved to take Naruto from Gaara and the Kazekage's eyes narrowed stopping the Jōnin in his tracks.

"Do you really think I am going to hand her over to those who she doesn't trust? I heard what happened before she left Konoha five years ago." He watched in satisfaction at them flinching. "You aren't touching her."

Gaara turned to Chiyo. "Chiyo baa-san; your grandson was the one she fought. Sasori of the Red Sand is dead," he watched her nod and then he started walking toward the desert.

"What do you think you're doing?" Sakura almost screamed. "She needs medical attention."

Gaara turned to her, a cold glare on his face. "I know she needs medical attention. But it won't be you who treat her. Now if you want to follow I will let you, but you must hurry; a sand storm is brewing and unless you are with me, you will die."

The red headed Kazekage reapplied the Charka in his legs and feet and ran into the desert.

~~Spy's Fight~~

Temari was the first one Gaara ran into when he got into Suna. She quickly accessed she situation and told her little brother to take her to where Kankuro was.

Naruto had changed all of them. During the time she stayed there she had Tsunade send them scrolls for Medic Jutsu; combine that with their own, they were in pretty good shape. Not as good as Tsunade teaching them herself, but it was better than nothing.

Naruto made sure that Kankuro, Temari, and Gaara knew Medical Jutsu. They all had the basics, but honestly, Gaara didn't really want more than that. Because he refused, Kankuro and Temari were forced to learn more. Right now Gaara regretted not learning more, if he had, he could have healed his beloved right where he found her.

That actually helped them in the long run, especially Kankuro with his poisons and where to put the poison in battle. Temari was the licensed Medic on their team, but Kankuro knew all about poisons.

When they went into Kankuro's room, Gaara saw he was still healing, but that didn't stop the Sabaku family from healing their little sister and lover.

"What happened to her?" Temari demanded as they laid her down on the bed next to Kankuro's.

"I only woke up after everything was over; no one but the two of us was in sight. She killed Sasori; I'm told there is poison coursing through her blood. Kyūbi is doing all he can to slow it; Shukaku said that there was something in the poison that was fighting her." Gaara quickly told his family.

"If she's poisoned by Sasori that means that she has the same poison that Kankuro was infected with!" Sakura commented. "I can heal her, just let me see her."

Gaara glared at her fiercely. "Chiyo baa-san, please get those two out of the room."

"Hai, Kazekage-sama," Chiyo bowed and connected Charka strings to their bodies to make them get out of the room.

When Sakura protested, the old woman told her to hush. "That child is different than Kankuro; if you try to heal her, she will reject you and end up dying because of your stupidly and pride!"

Sakura shook her head. "I can save her! We're okay now, we made up. She will let me heal her."

Chiyo looked at the girl in front of her and then looked at Kakashi. "She doesn't know does she?"

Kakashi knew what she was talking about, but it didn't make sense. "She doesn't, but what does _it _have to do with healing her?"

"We found out after Gaara was injured two years ago that only those who _they_ trust can heal them. Right now, that child only has three people in this Village that she trusts with her life, and all of them are in that room."

Sakura took a deep breath to calm herself. "And how do you know this about her? Just because of Gaara? Gaara is a monster!"

Chiyo laughed bitterly. "And I made him that way, child you don't know anything about Jinchūriki do you? The very friend that you want to protect is just like him. Whether they are monsters is totally opinionated; but say it in front of anyone in this Village again and you will find yourself dead." Chiyo warned the Medic in front of her.

"Gaara is our Kazekage and we love him, whether or not he has a Demon inside of him. That girl, Naruto, changed him. She is the reason why our Kazekage is different that he wants to protect us instead of trying to kill us. We care for her; she is one of our own, so insult either of them at your own peril."

Chiyo left them, not before she placed a Seal on the door that lead to Naruto.

Sakura's face went pale. She knew what Jinchūriki meant, she knew what Demon and Jinchūriki meant together, and she didn't like it. She turned to Kakashi. "Is Naruto a Jinchūriki?"

Kakashi nodded, his face showing his helplessness. "She has the Kyūbi sealed inside of her. In Konoha, it is an S Class Secret and those who reveal are put to death; those who hurt her are as well."

~~Spy's Fight~~

"The poison is different than the one that I was infected with. This means that she probably fought a different puppet than I did. That or she killed the one I fought and he brought out another that hurt her. This one is deadly, because it is fused with Charka." Kankuro informed them before his eyes went wide. "And the reason why Kyūbi is having trouble is because the poison changes; when you try to heal it one way, it comes back resistant to that."

Temari nodded. "So we need to kill it before it becomes resistant again. Can Kyūbi try to fight it off, distract it, while we kill it?"

_**Get the poison in one place, and then touch her. I will send Charka into her body and kill it off completely.**_

"Can you get the poison in one place? I will then push Shukaku's Charka into her and it will die off completely." Gaara explained his plan.

Kankuro nodded while he and Temari got to work.

~~Spy's Fight~~

I pushed open the doors that lead to a little room. In the middle, there was a circle that held a pond, and around that little pond were two old people who looked like they were fishing.

As I got closer, it also looked like they were dead; but I knew better. I could smell the oldness and life coming off of them.

"I know you two are alive, so you can quit faking whatever it is that you are trying to do."

The woman sighed. "The young today, they have no sense of humor."

The old man nodded his agreement.

"Chiyo- baa, I need some help." I started off, and I knew that she would help. She liked me, that and she liked my knowledge of poisons. It was because of me that she came out of hiding and started teaching Kankuro. His love of poisons and puppets were greatly boosted because of her. I kind of got the feeling that she replaced Sasori with Kankuro; also if I'm not mistaken, she started teaching him how to create puppets. It kind of made me wonder, why he wasn't finished with his own puppets.

The old man was Ebizo, her brother. Apart they were great and powerful, together, the "Siblings' were unstoppable. While Chiyo had her puppets, medical skills and poisons, he was the Wind Expert. He was a true Weapon Master. He could take any weapon and turn it into a deadly force of Wind. I got him out of retirement to help teach Temari.

"What is it, little one?" Chiyo uttered quietly. "How have you been? It's only been a few hours since that brat and the fan-lover healed you."

Ah, so that was what she was calling Temari now. I remembered at first she called her fan-girl. That pissed Temari off really bad. She and I both hated fan girls with a passion. The old woman meant fan girl as in the girl who uses fans; but Temari still didn't like it.

"It's about Sasori." I saw her face become older, and it made me sad. "How long is a few days to him?"

Chiyo thought about it, and searched her memory. "A few days could mean anything between five days and a week."

I nodded, and bowed my thanks at her.

"Don't be stranger!" she called over her shoulder at me, as I get near the door. "The people in this Village are boring!"

I chuckled, but I didn't move. I remembered why I had come to her. Sasori was her grandson, and I killed him.

"I'm sorry Chiyo, I killed Sasori." I confessed.

"I know," was her reply. "It was for the best."

I still didn't move, even when I heard her go back to teasing her brother. Gaara peeked into the room and saw me. His face softened and he took my hand and tugged me gently out the door.

"You did what you had to do," he tried to bring me out of my funk. "It was kill or be killed."

"I know," I said as he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close to him. "The bad thing was I liked him, Gaara, even after I saw what he had been doing. He killed people and made them puppets. Sasori even made himself a puppet! He," I paused. "He looked like you."

Now Gaara realized what had been truly eating at me. He kissed my head it was right under his chin. "It wasn't me, I'm right here. Plus, I'm done with killing people for the sake of killing, for the challenge. You know this, love."

I smiled as I buried my face further in his chest. "You're right, I do know this. Come on, I have four or more days to get to that damn bridge."

Before I told him what I was talking about, I realized something. Kakashi was going to come with us…and I didn't want that. What if Orochimaru showed up? There was so much that could be said. Orochimaru could make me mad. And I remembered how Jiraiya got me to transform into four tails. He talked about things Orochimaru was doing to Sasuke.

I flashed though the hand signs bit my thumb and summoned a Toad.

"Yo! It's the tadpole!" Gamakisuke greeted me. This one was a smartass Toad that liked to make fun of me.

"Kisuke, I need you to go back to Konoha and quickly see Tsunade. Tell her we will be home tonight and that she should find some mission for Kakashi to do that will take a while. I have a mission that will be taken right after this; I want Bunka as our 'leading officer' and find some third member for us."

The Toad nodded and poofed back to where he came from.

On the way to where my team was, I filled Gaara in on what Sasori told me after I stabbed his talisman. I was meeting Orochimaru in a few days, possibly killing him the process. Hopefully, that is.

As I pushed open the Kazekage office doors, I saw where everyone was. Kankuro was sitting in the Kazekage's chair, Temari was beside him and my Team was in front of the desk. I go straight to Temari, hug her, hit Kankuro on top of the head and I gave him a mock glare. He grumbled some things as he got up and leaned against the wall to the right of the chair. I sat on the edge of the chair and Gaara sat in it.

No one saw his hand on my leg and I said nothing. At least we were touching, that was I cared about.

"Were leaving in ten minutes to get back to Konoha," I informed them, my hand was in the air before they could protest. "As Sasori was dying, he told me that he had a spy in Orochimaru's system. We have as shot at him and Sasuke. I would love to stay in Suna if we had time, but we don't. We have four days to get to the meeting place and it's not near here."

Kankuro snorted, he knew I could get anywhere in four days. I sent him a glare over Gaara's shoulder.

"It's closer to Konoha, and we have to report in. I already sent a Summon to tell Tsunade that we are coming and that we have to leave immediately."

Kakashi nodded and turned and gestured to Sakura to leave the room. As they left, they heard my voice.

"And when was someone going to tell me that Gaara was the Kazekage?"

~~Spy's Fight~~

We were back in Konoha before night hit. It seemed that when those two wanted to get somewhere, they got there. Maybe it was the thought of getting to Sasuke?

I pushed the door to the Hokage's office open with more force than necessary.

Tsunade, though, didn't seem fazed. Her eyes were focused and her face was serious.

"Report," she barked at me immediately.

"We ran into Temari, right where you said we would. We ran until fifty miles to the border and stopped for the night. When Morning came we were at the border, the Summon I sent ahead reported back. Gaara had already been captured and had left the city. Kankuro went after him and was poisoned; so I sent everyone ahead of me to Suna to heal him. I went straight for the Akatsuki hide out. Using certain abilities, I found the hide out before nightfall. Though sheer genius," I bragged. "I slipped in before they knew what was happening. I healed the wounds Gaara had and diagnosed that he was suffering from Charka exhaustion before Itachi noticed I was there."

Tsunade nodded, she had expected that one.

"We talked for a little while, and I informed them that technically Gaara wasn't a Jinchūriki anymore, because his Demon had merged with him. They grew angry and I checked him again, just to make sure. I explained with some time factors, what happened. Then Itachi burst my bubble telling them that the Kyūbi Jinchūriki was the same." My face looked pissed. "They weren't too happy, and the leader ordered my death. There were only two members actually there. It seemed that one was missing out of the ten—Orochimaru. The other seven were there as holograms."

"The statue, I want a report on it later." Tsunade demanded, before she gestured me to finish.

"Sasori of the Red Sand and Deidara were the ones that were actually there. I fought with Sasori...he made human puppets, baa-chan. The Third Kazekage, I fought against him." Her eyes widened. "Sasori had also made his body a puppet, only alive because of his heart and charka sealed inside a talisman. After hours of fighting, and the use of Sage Mode, I stabbed it. He then told me of a meeting with his spy. The spy was in Orochimaru's ranks. It will be meeting in four days at the Tenchi Bridge near the Grass Village."

Tsunade nodded and pulled a scroll out on her desk, after a minute of writing she spoke. "You have two hours to get a third member—"

"That won't be necessary," a male voice said from the door.

I turned around to see, past what was left of Team Kakashi, Danzo. The Elder that wanted the title of Hokage since the Second Hokage's time in office; he looked as injured like always. But I wouldn't let his looks fool me, he was still a competent Ninja and I didn't want to see what was under those bandages. I had to be wary of the man in charge of ROOT: an ANBU faction.

"I have the perfect person."

I nodded and turned back to Tsunade. "Inform the rest of the Squad that they have two hours to get to the Gates of Konoha. If they aren't there, I'm leaving without them."

I disappeared in a whirl of leaves and went straight to my house.

I took out ever scroll that I had and started re-filling them and replacing some things. When I came to the ones that held my Ninja Gear and the one that had various scrolls and books in it, I stopped. I didn't know where half this stuff was!

Lady Luck seemed to have been shining on me, at least right then. Jiraiya walked into my room and quickly saw what was giving me trouble.

The white haired man chuckled. "Do you want me to show you where this stuff is?"

I nodded quickly and followed him as he gave me a tour of the house, in the course of thirty minutes. After I found where he gotten half of the stuff, we started putting things back and getting more.

Ten minutes later, all my scrolls were packed, my weapons polished and cleaned—thanks to a quick Jutsu Ero-Sennin knew.

Before we left my house, I stopped as a certain realization hit me hard.

I had just come back from a battle, not twenty-four hours ago that I almost died from; and here I am going off into another one.

I looked up at Jiraiya and he waited for me to say something.

"Will it ever get easier? Jumping to and from one deadly battle to another?" I questioned him and he snorted.

"No, it doesn't get easier, in fact it gets harder. One of my worst fears is going off into battle so far from home and dying without any last words to those I love."

Fear gripped my heart and almost crushed it. What if I died during this mission? I would have never said goodbye to Gaara. I won't have told him how much I love him, how much he means to me. I won't be near anyone I love.

My eyes widened and Jiraiya saw the inner turmoil that was raging inside of me. He knew, because it was happening inside of him as well.

I made a resolve them, before I left I would tell those closest to me how much they meant to me.

I grabbed Ero-Sennin's hand and tugged. We were in Tsunade's room in less than a second.

For the rest half an hour I told them everything that really happened during the mission with no lies. I even told them about the things I left for my Sand Family.

"I gave each one of them a three pronged Kunai." Jiraiya and Tsunade accepted that without hesitation. "I also left Kankuro a present. I gave him the one who poisoned him."

Tsunade laughed, while Jiraiya's eyes went wide. I shrugged. "Now he has a new puppet! Kankuro also gave me a present, something he has been working on for a while; something that may help me kill that snake bastard, Orochimaru."

I told them about it and why it's so much more deadly in my hands than anyone else's.

Before I left, I hugged both of them and whispered to them, "I love you both, Okaa-san, Otou-san."

I didn't stay around to see their shocked faces; I left and was at least halfway between the Gate and Hokage Tower before I Summoned a fox.

"What do you want?" Toshiro glared at me. "I was busy."

"If I die," Toshiro frowned at my words. "Give this to Gaara, okay?"

I gave the white fox a letter, with Gaara's name written on the front. Toshiro gave me an unreadable look before he leaned forward and licked my face. I was shocked and before I could say something, he left.

_It seems as if those that I don't think like me, actually like me huh?_

_**That's just why your special kit, you have this ability to change others, to bring them happiness.**_

I didn't disagree with him, but I couldn't help but feel doubt at his words. I snorted, don't tell me I'm becoming like Hinata? I threw those thoughts out the window; I was not going to be negative about myself. Not when so much rode on what was happening.

I appeared at the gate before the two hours were up. It seemed everyone was here: Yamato, aka Bunka, Sakura and a ROOT kid. Danzo must have had a reason to send one of his own. Orochimaru? It had to be it, I was going to keep an eye on this one.

"What is your name?" I questioned him; he kind of looked like Sasuke.

"Sai," the teen gave me a fake smile and answered. "And you're dickless."

I let a tiny grin play on my lips. "So glad of you to notice, I wonder, is this one of those 'it takes one to know one' situations?"

His smile dropped, it seemed he didn't know what to do.

I put a hand on his shoulder and whispered in his ear. "Having no emotions can only get you so far."

Something flashed in his eyes and I gave him a small smile. "Try to learn, it may come in handy."

I look up at Bunka and give him a look, surprise flashed in his eyes. "Ready?"

~~Spy's Fight~~

"I am not doing some shitty teamwork training." I informed Bunka as we stopped.

"Are you not doing it because you're dickless? You don't have the balls—" Sai started before Sakura punched him in the jaw.

I tried to hold back my laughter but a few escaped.

Bunka looked between me and the other two. "How can you laugh? This is serious!"

"It's funny." I shrugged. "Sai, you might not want to be perverted around her, she hates perverts. I know," I started before he told me he doesn't know what perverted was. "Mentioning vagaga's and tallywackers are considered perverted."

Sakura gave me the evil eye before I rolled mine at her.

"Vajaja? Tallywacker?" Sai questioned.

I nodded. "Vajaja is a vagina, it's what females have. A tallywacker is a dick, which you know males have. I was using slang terms as to not upset her, instead of the technical terms."

Sai nodded at me. "Why doesn't Ugly like mentioning them? They are a natural part of life."

I grabbed Sakura's fist before she hit him again. He didn't flinch or anything.

"Oh this, no emotions thing is going to go for the birds really quickly." I muttered before I then turned to Bunka. "He is a ROOT solider, what can you expect?"

Sai straightened when he I said that. I looked at him dead on. Sometimes Danzo ordered death to those who found out his soldier's identities.

"I don't care what you were sent to do," I told Sai straight up, nothing but bluntness. "Just don't get in my way, got it?"

"Got it dickless," Sai nodded.

My eyes found Bunka's. "I can control both of them, I think we're okay."

~~Spy's Fight~~

We got there three days before the spy showed up. I couldn't deny Bunka his training now. Sigh, that man always wanted to be like Kakashi too much.

I came to be impressed with Sai's abilities. "You know, I've never seen anyone who uses Ink."

Hopefully, before Sai went back to ROOT, I could instill some emotions into him.

"You know, Orochimaru may find the spy meeting with us." Yamato warned us. "Uchiha could be with him as well."

I narrowed my eyes at him; I knew what he was getting out.

"Uchiha, which traitor, the younger or older," Sai asked before almost got punched by Sakura. I grabbed her hand and gave it a little squeeze.

"Sakura, if you don't stop trying to break his bones, I swear, I'm going to break your arm."

She whimpered and gave me a betrayed look that I brushed off.

"It's true, why do you get mad?" Sai questioned Sakura.

"Because he is my friend," was her reply.

"He tossed away his bond with you when he deserted the Village."

This time Sakura restrained herself, and I said something before she said anything. "Yes, he cut those bonds, but that doesn't mean we did. We're…" I stopped, what was I going to say? That we were going to get him back or that we were going to save him from himself? Would Sai understand?

"We want to save him," I ended up saying. "He is lost in the darkness and we want to take him out of it."

Sai seemed to take in what I said, trying to understand it. "You care for him. You're willing to risk your lives to try and save him, even if he doesn't want to be saved?"

I gave him a small grin. "Yeah, whether he wants it or not; sometimes Sai being a friend means crossing that line. He may hate us for it, but he needs to be saved. Besides, Sasuke is the little brother I never had; always making me work to save his ass."

"Friends…" Sai mused.

~~Spy's Fight~~

We watched the figure crossing the bridge, Yamato crossing it disguised as Sasori. Hopefully, I had observed enough for him to move and talk like Sasori well enough to fool the spy.

"Sasori-sama, it's been awhile," the spy said as he removed his hood.

I didn't know this person. He had brown hair, green eyes, and a scar on his left cheek. His brown hair was short, not going past his ears. He was about five foot nine inches.

"Were you followed?"

"No I wasn't, it's safe for us to talk. I have risked a lot to get away from Orochimaru-sama to come here. I'm still a little light headed, or should I say heavy headed, when your Jutsu lifted and I remember who I was. We don't have much time so, so whatever you want to know make it quick."

"I want to know about Sasuke Uchiha and the location of your base."

"We switch bases weekly; Orochimaru-sama has quite a lot of bases actually. Each time we move, Sound Spies are sent ahead to clear the way. They don't only exist in Sound. The base we are at right now is hidden on a small island in a lake due north of here; we move in three days and Sasuke Uchiha is there now."

The spy turned toward the edge of the bridge. "About those orders you gave me Sasori-sama, I couldn't retrieve a sample from his previous vessel because when Orochimaru-sama transferred into a new one, he used a barrier Jutsu."

"I see," Sasori aka Yamato said, and I saw the look the spy gave him.

Damn, our cover was about to be blown I just knew it.

"I don't have much time, Sasori-sama, if I'm seen you with you I will be killed. Give me the item," the spy urged but the Wind blew and I stiffened. I smelled him, the snake bastard was here!

Yamato drew a Kunai a second before Orochimaru himself was standing beside the spy; his snakes were winding around them.

"If you hadn't drawn your kunai I wouldn't have made it in time." The snakes crushed the robe the spy had been wearing.

Apparently the spy, just like Kabuto, could use the charka scalpel. He slashed the puppet and Yamato jumped out. Orochimaru sent lots of snakes after him and a wood replacement later, Yamato was free.

"So is this Sasori's real body, Orochimaru-sama?"

"You haven't seen it?"

"No, he was always inside of a puppet." He focused on Yamato. "If you aren't Sasori who are you? The operation was to kill Sasori, but since you aren't him, then that plan fails."

"I'll tell you about him later." Orochimaru promised. "But while we are here, call out your two helpers."

We came out, but I was the only one laughing. "Replaced your beloved Kabuto so soon, Orochimaru?"

I saw his eyes narrow. I was going to have fun with this.

"Orochimaru-sama, what's she talking about?"

I smirked. "So, you just had to pick two of Sasori's spies are your leading henchmen."

"How did you know that Kabuto was Sasori's spy?" Orochimaru questioned. "And where is Sasori?"

"Sasori told me he was pissed that he had to replace his spy five years ago," I shrugged. "I killed him, a week ago I think."

"You killed Sasori?" Orochimaru chuckled. "I knew it was a good idea to mark you with my curse mark."

I sighed and tugged my coat off to show my bare neck. "Don't you remember? We've been over this, I got it removed."

Orochimaru sighed dramatically. "It would have been great if you didn't. So much power you could have had, lost."

I snorted. "I'm not that easy to sell to snake, I'm not like Sasuke who wants power. I enough power to last me more than one lifetime."

Orochimaru chuckled. "Yes, I wonder who would win now, Sasuke-kun or you, Naruto-kun."

"I wonder who would win between me and you." I mused out loud before I shrugged. "What the hell, let's find out."

I launched myself at him, my leg high in the air. I slammed it down where he was less than a second ago.

"Ku, ku, ku, you are just like Tsunade-hime." The snake mused as he saw the huge crater I made. "I remember five years ago her doing the same to me."

I smirked. "Too bad you aren't as handicapped as you were then."

I started a Taijutsu match with him that lasted three minutes. It ended when I punched him in the jaw and he kicked mine while doing a back flip. I landed right near his new fuck toy.

The new boy readied his charka scalpel, but before he could hit me I moved behind him, and then I leaned toward his ear. "Do you know what happened to Kabuto?" I asked as I switched to the other ear. "Do you want to know?"

"No," he said; his voice strong and clear. He wanted me to know that I didn't intimidate him.

Hm, better change that then.

"I killed him," I informed him in a louder voice, shocking Sakura. "Like this," I shoved a **Rasengan** threw his chest, just like I did to Kabuto.

"A **Rasengan** to the chest, fitting way to die I suppose," I said as I watched him fall to the ground, face first. "Of course, I shoved it through the front of his chest, not the back."

I felt the killer intent directed at me and I turned to Orochimaru. "Opps, I killed another one, didn't I? I'm so sorry!"

I then saw the blood that came from me hitting his jaw, and he sensed what I was looking at and licked. Then I saw him swallow.

"Tell me Orochimaru; am I as good as Sasuke-kun?" I mocked him as I appeared to look concerned with his analysis.

"Oh I can see it now, ku, ku, ku, you're upset that I trained him, aren't you! You must have liked all the training Anko gave you; you wanted it from the real source did you?" the snake bastard taunted me. "I marked you, but I guess you got jealous that you weren't the only one. I'm sorry; Naruto-kun, but you aren't the one I wanted. Just like your pitiful sensei."

My eyes narrowed, but I didn't react.

"And no, you aren't as good as Sasuke-kun. You haven't gotten strong enough to save him."

I snorted. "Save him? If I wanted to save him, I wouldn't have let the bastard go. See, I let him go so he could kill you after you were done teaching him. If I wanted to keep him, it would have been so easy to kill that bone guy. Did you know he was really sick? Anyway, I would have killed the bone guy, knocked Sasuke out as he came out of that barrel, put some Charka Seals on him and dragged his ass back to Konoha."

Orochimaru narrowed his snake silted eyes at me. "You let him go? Why? He was betraying your Village by leaving."

"Sasuke proved to me that he wanted to go. So, what else was I supposed to do, but let him?"

"You continue to surprise me Naruto-kun," Orochimaru chuckled. "Are you going to try and kill me for putting a Curse Mark on you? I know Anko didn't like that very much."

I sighed. "Why do you have I keep bringing that damn thing up? If I wanted to kill you Orochimaru, I would have done it when I sent that scroll to you, oh three years ago maybe?"

I saw him freeze with satisfaction. I got him. "What scroll?

I smirked. "I think it was the one that extended your control of the transferred body from two in half years to five years. I needed time. Time to become strong before I took on and ripped Akatsuki apart."

I watched his face slowly show the anger I knew he was feeling. "Bunka," I slipped, oh well, "Keep Sakura and Sai away from the battle. I'm playing with a snake."

I made Orochimaru work; and I mean work, to win that battle. Of course, he made me work as well. The bastard got me to three tails.

_No matter what, don't give me more than three tails._

_**Got it, kit, you get no more than three tails. I want a snake hand bag!**_

_Hai, Ky__ū__-chan; one snake purse coming up; and on a side not, I won't comment on your sexuality._

Silence was greeted with my sentence.

There was a reason why I was fighting him, why I as getting him worked up. I wanted his blood flowing, I wanted him to use his organs. I wanted the damn thing to _spread_.

It took longer than I thought, an hour, for it to work. I knew it was working when he stopped moving.

"What…have…you…done….to…me?" he asked while breathing hard.

"Oh, so it's working, I was wondering what was taking it so long." I said as I was met with his glare. I chuckled and knelt down next to his prone body, that couldn't be supported by its legs.

"You see, I have a friend who is an expert in poisons. He was trained by an expert in poisons. No, it wasn't Sasori that was my friend; this is someone else that is _alive_." I told him as started checking him over. "He invented a poison that was incurable due to its inversely related ingredients. Combined with either my Charka or blood, it kills you so much faster. Well, actually I don't know if I didn't add anything to it would it kill you. I didn't ask."

I grinned an 'eat shit' grin as I found out that his organs were history. "Good bye Snake bastard."

~~Spy's Fight~~

"Go to Tsunade and tell her to send me Team Eight. I need a tracking unit; Sasuke has found out that Orochimaru is dead and has fled the Cuckoo's nest. Or should I say Snake's den? Anyway, tell her to get them to meet us at the border of Fire Country." I told one of my Toads, and she sped off however they get from one place to place.

We searched that damn place and still couldn't find Sasuke. Not that I actually expected to find him. As soon as Orochimaru was dead, I knew he was going to be gone faster than Chōji's chips. Though, I did find something of great importance: his Akatsuki ring. I decided then that I was going to start collecting them!

~~Spy's Fight~~

"You, long time no see," Kiba greeted as we met then at the border.

I waved his greeting away. "No time for that nonsense," I joked as our two teams came together three days later. "We need to find Sasuke before something…very regrettable happens."

Kiba snorted; it seemed that after his near death experience at the hands of Sakon and Ukon, he didn't like the Uchiha. That is, if he ever did.

I rolled my eyes at his childish behavior. "Do you realize that if Sasuke gets in the wrong hands, Konoha could be destroyed?" the look on his face told me no, he didn't know that. "The Uchiha's did a lot of digging that no one knew about."

Everyone gave me a questioning glance, wanting me to explain my words; one that I ignored, as ignoring it made me slightly happier.

"Okay we got to track the bastard, which is a duh. You guys are coming with us back to the last nearest hide out Orochimaru had. You actually passed it. It's about," I moved my head side to side. "Ten miles east of here."

"And how do you know that?" Sakura questioned me.

I shrugged. "I was there with Jiraiya. We searched for Orochimaru's hide outs; we had to do something during those five years."

"Did you know about the one he was at in near Grass country?" Yamato asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yeah."

"Why do we need to this one?" Shino spoke for the first time.

I turned to him, "Because there is someone there he will want."

"Who?" Hinata inquired.

"I don't know his name; I just know that was an experiment of Orochimaru's. He can change his body into Water and he has really sharp teeth, like Zabuza's."

~~Spy's Fight~~

"AHHCHO!" the great demon of the mist sneezed.

"Bless you, Zabuza-sama." Haku said. "Maybe someone is talking about you?"'

"Damn, I know it's that brat!" Zabuza cursed.

"Don't we have to meet her soon?" Haku said hopefully.

Zabuza nodded.

~~Spy's Fight~~

Well, when we got to the hide out the guy was gone. So we went to another one, the one that held the guy whose blood started the Curse Marks.

"And why are we here?" Kiba whined.

I waited a few seconds, yep, Sakura smacked him. Ya!

"We are here looking for a teenager, whose blood started the Cruse Marks. I don't know how educated you guys are, but Curse Marks were invented by Orochimaru. They controlled the one who had it; it made them want power, it starts to turn the user down the dark side. It also gives the user great power."

I watched as Kiba shivered. "I know."

I stopped running and everyone stopped with me, and I focused on him. I jumped over to his branch and my hand gripped his shoulder. "It's frightening, seeing how it looked impossible to beat them first, and then they use the first stage. You beat that, you think you've won, you were getting desperate there, but then they use the next level. Now you know you are going to die. But somehow you get away, and then the bastard finds you again. You go: this is it, I'm going to die. Then someone saves you. And it's over, yet it's not. The nightmares won't leave you."

His eyes widened at me. "How did you know?"

"I was on a mission right before Sasuke left the Village; I was searching and finding different hide outs that Orochimaru used. I went into an abandoned one. Or so I thought, it wasn't. I fought with," I shivered. "This one was horrible. He looked like a human at first, but then went he went into that first stage his emotions and attitude changed. He became inhuman. Then when he hit that third stage," My body shook. "He became a monster; he had wings made of bone looking material. His arms and legs changed and had what looked like fur."

At that moment that I remembered exactly what he looked like, Kyūbi blocked the image out for me. I silently thanked him.

"Does it get better?" Kiba asked, his voice shaking with my body.

"Sometimes, sometimes you can forget it happened. Other times," I sighed. "Other times you need someone to hold you close and distract you with their love."

~~Spy's Fight~~

The big boy wasn't there either; but when I sent Kiba and his dog into a town they found Sasuke's scent. I sent a **Katai Bunshin** ahead of everyone, going faster than they could.

It found Sasuke, or should I say it slammed into him. The **Bunshin** didn't burst on impact, instead, it jumped back and its feet landed on a tree. Using Charka, it took on it and looked at Sasuke sideways.

"Ah, I found you," it taunted. "I wonder, what would the snake bastard say if he knew you had been caught so easily, eh?"

Sasuke didn't respond, but the female in his party did.

"You shouldn't exist! I can't sense you at all."

_A Charka Sensor eh?_

"In my profession, it's either die and be sensed or live and don't let anyone sense you." The **Clone** shrugged. "By the way, have any of you defeated any Akatsuki members lately?"

"Why?" the boy with a big ass sword asked.

"I'm collecting their rings." Then the clone narrowed its eyes at the sword. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you and Za-bu-za have something in common." Sasuke snorted before the clone finished. "Both of you seem to be compensating for something."

~~Spy's Fight~~

Zabuza sneezed again.

"Damn it, if I get my hands on that girl!"

Haku just sighed and continued on. He was wondering what she was saying about his master.

~~Spy's Fight~~

"Never drop that one do you?" Sasuke asked as is face went emotionless again.

"Never," The **Bunshin** smirked. "Well, since I found you I guess it's time to go! Toddles!" it said before it waved its fingers at them. Then it disappeared in a puff of smoke.

~~Spy's Fight~~

I laughed, "Damn, Zabuza is going to hate me."

Sakura sighed. "Another joke?"

I nodded. "This time my **Bunshin** made it one of the guy's in Sasuke's party. He has a big ass sword too."

Ten minutes later Kakashi appeared out of nowhere.

"Yo!" he said as Pakkun came into sight.

"I figured that you may need the little guy."

I raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, I just wanted to find you guys. Pakkun was bored." The dog nodded his agreement.

I sighed, damn thing had more luck then I did. It wasn't bored soon enough.

"Oh what do we have here?" a male voice asked.

I didn't move, everyone else turned around; I stayed facing away from the newcomer. I was trying to do something. I tried gathering Nature Charka so I could locate Sasuke. I had a bad feeling that the two brothers were already fighting.

"Who are you?' Kiba demanded to know.

"Tobi. Tobi didn't think he would find so many Leaf Ninja here! I don't think the odds are fair. Eight against one?"

_Tobi? Wasn't he the persona that Itachi told us Madara took over?_

_**Yeah kit, be careful. He did control me enough eighteen years ago, I wouldn't put it past him to do the same again.**_

"Look at his cloak," Kakashi pointed out.

"He's Akatsuki," Yamato added.

"So? We have him outnumbered, eight to one. He said so himself." Kiba grinned.

"Ahh, that isn't cool!" Tobi whined. "You are so underestimating Tobi."

They all started to attack him, but I didn't care, I didn't move. Staying still was a key point in gather Nature Charka.

"Oi! What are you doing over there? Aren't you going to play too?" Tobi called out to me.

This caused everyone to turn toward me. I twisted around, my hair flying out behind me. I heard everyone gasp, and I knew they saw my eyes.

"Tell me something Tobi," I started my voice went a little deeper. "Has the fight started yet?"

Tobi stopped moving, "What fight?"

I smirked. "You know what fight I'm talking about. It's the only one that matters to you at this point and time."

Someone started coming out of the ground next to him. A man who had a Venus fly trap around his head,

"Zetsu?" Tobi questioned as he faced the other man. He was ignoring me in favor of the plant man. I didn't know whether to be insulted or not.

"_You told me to inform you when the Uchiha's battle started. Sasuke has already broken out of Tsukiyomi."_

"What?" I hissed. "Itachi and Sasuke are already fighting?"

Zetsu looked at me for a second. **"Do we know you?"**

"_I think we do. Isn't she that girl we saw when we captured the One Tailed Jinchūriki?"_

"**But she had a mask on, what did Itachi say her name was?"**

"_Some type of fox…"_

"Kitsune," Tobi inserted, I could see the gears turning in his head. "The Kyūbi Jinchūriki is the famous Kitsune. I would have never guessed. No wonder you were able to kill Sasori and Orochimaru."

My eyes went cold as did my voice. "I don't have time for this shit." I pulled out a scroll out did a switching Jutsu. In a second, I was Kitsune. "I have two Uchiha's asses to kick."

~~Spy's Fight~~

Kakashi couldn't move, his body was frozen. His student was Kitsune? How could Naruto be Kitsune? It explained so much, but it raised even more questions. Why was she playing a Genin? But most of all, how could he not have noticed?

_I'm sorry Minato-sensei, I failed you._

Yamato didn't react; he already had his suspicious ever since she called him Bunka.

~~Spy's Fight~~

"Kakashi, I'm giving you an S Ranked Mission. Find out what kind of Jutsu Tobi is doing."

I left before he could agree to it. I used eighty percent of my Nature Charka to increase my speed, while I used the other twenty percent to locate the two Uchiha's. I was tired of this shit. I was tired of hiding behind the mask of Naruto; but at the same time, I was tired of hiding behind Kitsune's mask.

I wanted to be me. Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze, love of Gaara and close friend to Shikamaru.

I knew it was a mistake to agree to the Third's wishes. I knew it was a mistake to become a Chūnin, Jōnin, and ANBU. I knew it was a mistake to take that bloody mission. Yet, I did it anyway. Now my secret was out.

Was I happy? I had wanted to stop this charade; I had wanted to take Tsunade's way out before Sasuke left the Village. But I didn't, why? Because I had a promise to keep; no matter what I told Tsunade, I didn't stay because I wanted to. I stayed because I had to. I never broke a promise, and that one I made to Itachi was so binding that I had nightmares that I failed and broke my promise.

In minutes, I tracked the Uchiha's to an old Uchiha base.

I quickly make my way through, I had been here once. I went straight to the throne room. I knew Itachi; somehow he would play Kyūbi into this.

I was right, he was there; he just wasn't sitting on the chair. He and Sasuke were in a heavily Taijutsu battle, one that seemed to be over. Itachi jumped back and looked straight at me. I had suppressed all of my Charka, damn Sharingan.

"I know you're there, you can come out." Itachi's voice betrayed nothing. I knew that he didn't know it was me yet.

I walked into the light and glared at him through my mask.

"Now, now, no glaring at me, Fox-chan," Itachi chuckled.

"Fox-chan my ass," I growled. "I found out you and J.R there was fighting because a plant told me!"

Itachi's eyes narrowed. "Zetsu is watching?"

I nodded and folded my arms across my breasts. "Tobi was dealing my group, and then the plant comes up and says Sasuke broke out of Tsukiyomi." I scoffed. "And here I thought I was special."

Itachi shook his head a chuckled. "You are." Then he coughed.

I ran over to him and started running diagnostic Jutsu on him. My eyes grew wide and I stumbled away from him.

"When were you going to tell me?" I whispered, my voice had become small.

"Never, I hoped," was his reply.

I calmed myself. "And you didn't think your death would have an impact on me?" I demanded. "You didn't think I would kill Sasuke because of it?"

I saw Sasuke twitch out of the corner of my eye.

"I thought you would remember the promise I had you make." Itachi said sadly.

I groaned and screamed. "FUCK YOU ITACHI! FUCK YOU!"

He chuckled, "We tried, remember? It didn't work out."

I started breathing hard. "You are a fucking bastard Itachi Uchiha." I hissed and he nodded.

"What the fuck is going on? Can you leave so we can continue?" Sasuke demanded of me as he launched himself at Itachi again, this time one of his hands held **Chidori** and the other his sword, glowing with Lightning Charka.

I acted on instinct, I threw out the fear that started to try and consume me.

I threw myself in front of Itachi, grabbed Sasuke's right hand—which had the **Chidori** in it—with my left and blocked his sword with mine. My Wind Charka canceling his Lightning Charka out.

"Why is it, every time I turn around, I have to block a **Chidori** from killing you?" I ground out through my teeth as I forced Sasuke back.

"This doesn't concern you!" Sasuke almost yelled. "This has nothing to do with you, leave before I kill you."

I blinked. "Doesn't concern me? Aren't you trying to kill Itachi for massacring the Uchiha Clan ten or so years ago?" I didn't wait for him to nod. "Then you are going to want to kill me as well. I helped him."

That threw Sasuke for a loop.

"I wasn't going to tell him." Itachi told me through his own teeth. It seemed I was one of the only people to bring out his emotions. Ya for me!

I snorted. "You weren't going to tell him a lot of things."

Itachi gave me a warning look, but I waved it off.

"Who the fuck," Sasuke started, "are you?"

"This was," after I sent a glare his way, "is my ANBU partner Kitsune." Itachi informed his little brother. "But you already know her."

"Uchiha, you Weasel, some secrets are yours to tell!" I growled at the older Uchiha.

"Gomen, Big Kitty," Itachi said as he held his hands up. He had another coughing fit, this time with blood.

"Idiot," I told him as I hurried over and started to heal him. I could not give me so much time. "We have to get you back to Baa-chan. She will heal you; and after she does I'll kick your ass to high heaven!"

Sasuke's face didn't show anything, I was afraid of what he was thinking.

I sighed, might as well show him who I was, after all everyone else knew. I pulled off my mask and sealed it away.

"Zetsu saw the resemblance between me and the one who freed Gaara. He put two and two together and Tobi told everyone who I was."

"Naruto?" Sasuke breathed.

My hands glowed green as I moved my hands all over Itachi's body, healing him as best I could. "Yeah, teme, it's me."

"You've changed," he told me as he looked me over. Apparently, he still had feelings for me as he ignored what I said before. I could understand why he wouldn't want to think further on the fact that the girl he liked, maybe loved, had kill his family alongside the person who he loved most.

I nodded. "We've all changed Sasuke; Itachi, you, me, and everyone else. Time changes people, some not for the better, right Itachi?"

"Why?" Sasuke started. "How?"

"When I was two, I was kicked out of the orphanage, I survived for three years by myself, the only times I was hurt were on my birthday. Like clockwork, every night of October the Tenth I got a sound beating. Why, you ask; because I am the Kyūbi Jinchūriki. When I turned five the Hokage had enough and took me in. He, along with some ANBUs, trained me; I passed through the ranks so quickly. By the time I was seven, I think, I was an ANBU captain. That was how I met Itachi. I trained him. Shit happened, missions were assigned, and we were sent our separate ways. Then, five years later the Chūnin Exams started to roll around."

I stopped and warded off the exhaustion I was feeling because I was using Sage Mode.

"I was given an A Rank Mission to become a Genin to infiltrate the Chūnin Exams and gather information on the upcoming invasion. I joined your team, more shit happened, and finally the Chūnin Exams came around. Lots more shit happened between then and now. Basically the moral of this story," I concluded. "Shit happens, more often than we want it too."

Sasuke was speechless, well not for long. "How could you kill my clan and then try and be my friend?"

Oh, the little Uchiha was outraged. Well, I would be too if it had been me.

"Not my story to tell Sasuke. That is Itachi's," I stopped, I couldn't go any further. I felt the older Uchiha's glare.

"You just had to go and open that can of worms."

I shrugged. "Both of you are coming back with me, so grow some balls Itachi and tell the brat why his entire clan is dead! I think he deserves to know." Then I looked at Sasuke thoughtfully. _And that memory Jutsu needs to be lifted._

"And have him hate Konoha? Do you think with all the steps he had taken to destroy me, do you think he will stay in Konoha?" Itachi hissed in my ear, said ear hid his lips so Sasuke couldn't lip read him.

"I think you don't give him enough credit."

"You hate Konoha, and you expect him to love it after what it has done to him? You hate it after everything it has done to us, so what makes him different?"

I stopped healing Itachi; there was only so much I could do. I stood up, after a few moments, the room stopped spinning.

"Alright, both of you grow a pair and grow the fuck up! Life sucks okay? Just get over. Yes, I hate Konoha, but that doesn't mean I want to destroy it. I decided that I would take my revenge, but not in the path of destruction. I decided to show Konoha just want the fuck they were missing, what they were willing to throw away. That is how Konoha is going to pay for everything it has done to me. Tell me, can you not think of a better way?"

Itachi shook his head, I could see a smile wanted to come out behind that grim façade.

"Tell him Itachi, tell him now. Too many years have gone by with him hating the wrong person. If you want to kill someone, kill Danzo and those two old farts who call themselves Elders. But do it after you have risen high enough and have a legitimate excuse ready to give."

_I know I've got dozens planned._

_Fin…_

**Katai Bunshin no Jutsu: **Solid Clone. This Clone is like the Kage Bunshin in the effect that it is solid, but this clone can actually take hits depending on how much chakra is put into it.

**Tsukiyomi: **Moon Reader. A very powerful Genjutsu that is almost impossible to break. It traps the victim in a state for a certain amount of days or hours (depending on the user), but in reality it only lasts a few seconds.

Sage Mode: when user gathers enough Nature Charka, the empowered state is Sage Mode. The pigment around the eyes is orange and the eyes become Toad like. It also has amplified powers of Senjutsu. Once user gets out of Sage Mode, the user experiences extreme exhaustion.

Bunshin: Clone


	6. Spy Talk 2!

Hey my reader peeps! I am adding this bit just to make myself known. There was an issue or two with how I have taken Spy 2, as in how the differences between the first book of Spy and the second. This part can be read before or after reading Spy's Fight; it's all up to you. There isn't much spoilers, if any at all. It just has some general concepts of the way the direction the story has taken. No plot telling, like I said, just some general big picture things.

Spy 2 is different from Spy 1 because it changes at bit: rating up, first person, and it gets darker (as in language, etc). I do this for a reason. Spy 2 is when I dive deeper into the story than the introduction that Spy 1 is. I'm going deeper into Naru (because this is after all about her, with a few places going toward others). That is why it's first person. The language and content is darker because this world is darker. Naru is diving even deeper in it than she was before; she is also older.

I have also edited all chapters of Spy 2, as well as added a few bits here and there to match up with Spy 3 and the new plot lines that are coming into play in the last section of the fic.

That is it, peeps! I hope you liked Spy 2 and are ready for Spy 3! This fic will, I hope, be completely out before August semester starts!

STATS, as of 17 May 2013 for Spy's Fight!

TOTAL WORDS: 117

TOTAL PAGES: 49, 702

REVIEWS: 36

VIEWS: 12, 965

CSs: 6

FAVS: 150

ALERTS: 52

TTFN,

Moon

P.S:

_**SPY 3 IS OUT!**_


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